


Hot Commodity

by blueeyedcherry



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Gen, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-08
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2017-11-07 06:18:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 201,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueeyedcherry/pseuds/blueeyedcherry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward Cullen is used to getting everything he wants. Good looking, wealthy, and charming, NYC's most reputable playboy doesn't take "no" for an answer. Then he meets Isabella Swan, and all bets are off ... except for one. *AH/OOC/Canon Pairings/Lemon-Infused*</p><p>-Winner for Best Edward in the 2012 Sunflower Awards-<br/>-Winner: Fic of the Week (12/10/12 - 12/16/12 & 4/16/13 - 4/22/13) at the Lemonade Stand-<br/>-Winner: 3rd Place Best Quote, The 20013 Fandom Choice Awards-<br/>-Winner: 3rd Place Best Friendship, The 2013 Fandom Choice Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Best Edward in the Eclipse Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Best Rosalie in the Wordsmith Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Best All-Human, The Fandom Choice Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Fic of the Month, December 2012, The Lemonade Stand-<br/>-Nominated: Favorite Drop Everything Fic, The 2013 TwiFic Fandom Awards-<br/>-Nominated: All Time Favorite Story, The 2014 Fandom Choice Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Best Bella Swan, The 2014 Fandom Choice Awards-<br/>-Nominated: Best Supporting Cast, The 2014 Fandom Choice Awards-<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wanna Make a Bet?

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who like more snark, sass, and citrus, this is the fic you'll wanna keep up with!
> 
> Thanks to my amazing beta/wonderful friend Chloe Masen. I'll be thanking you until I go to the fanfic graveyard. ;)
> 
> Reviews/comments are like taking a little backside thrusting from DuRob - so please, by all means, feel free to leave some! ;)
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

 

Banner by [rochelle_0089](http://www.twitter.com/rochelle_0089).

 

**Bella's POV**

"Bella, over here! Smile for us!"

Several flashes went off and my vision became speckled with hundreds of dots of various sizes and colors. I nudged Rose in the back, trying to get her to move down the red carpet. She kept stopping, jutting her hip out and posing for the photographers, her crimson lips pulled back in a seductive smile. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, not wanting to show up in one of the trash rags tomorrow next to some ridiculous headline about being a bitch. Alice was already inside, and I chastised myself for not walking behind her instead.

Being best friends with two Manhattan socialites was practically a full-time job.

Rosalie Smith and Alice Erickson grew up together on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Both of them came from "old money" as they called it. Rosalie's great great grandfather developed what was eventually reworked, updated, and transformed into the most common projector used in movie theaters today. Alice's grandfather was one of the founding CEOs of New York Stock and Bond, a bank that started out small and grew to become one of the largest, most well respected in all of Manhattan. Both of them had attended the Brearley School before going on to Harvard, where they met me.

We all had English Lit together our first semester. Alice sat next to me and was gracious enough to share her notes and bum me a cigarette after class. She introduced me to Rose and they offered to show me around Boston. Four hours and too many high-calorie desserts from Finale later, we'd bonded and were already making spring break plans.

Now here we were, eleven years down the road, living out the last year of our twenties. Alice and I owned our own public relations firm in Midtown. We had a multitude of clients, ranging from small local businesses t one or two names that lingered on the top of Hollywood A-Lists. Rose surprised us all, dropping her pre-med track and majoring in business and marketing. In the end it was the right decision, because coupled with her artistic talent, she'd become a well known and highly sought after fashion designer. Her spring 2012 collection had just debuted, and stylists were already calling to book looks for the winter award shows.

Tonight's charity gala at the Guggenheim was just one of a laundry list of events that Rose and Alice went to each year. Sometimes I got the popular-by-association invite in the mail, and on rare occasions (especially if Josh Duhamel was on the guest list) I'd cough up the money and attend the dinner, drink the free champagne, and ogle all the high society types that were there. Tonight was one of those rare occasions.

After a few more photo ops Rose and I finally made our way inside. I grabbed two flutes of champagne from the first waiter I saw and promptly downed them both. Rose looked at me with a hint of mischief sparkling in her warm brown eyes.

"It's gonna be one of _those_ nights, huh?" She winked before grabbing two flutes for her and pouring them back. I giggled and waved Alice over.

"Could you take any longer on the carpet? Christ Rose, I thought Bella was going to have a panic attack!" Alice scowled at her before turning to me. "Do you need a Xanax honey?" I cringed remembering what had come to be known as "the Great Red Carpet Disaster of 2009" in our circle of friends.

"I'm perfectly fine, ladies! Let's eat so we can get our drink on!" I led the way to one of dozens of lavishly decorated round tables. We seated ourselves and flagged down a waiter for another round of champagne. People kept coming over to schmooze with Rose and a few of them asked Alice and I about PR representation. Rose was kind enough to let me borrow a dress from one of her collections for the event, and I felt like a queen in the silky gray fabric. Even though this had never really been my scene, I always enjoyed getting to be "somebody" for one night. That's all I ever wanted was just one night, after which I could go home, slip into my Harvard sweats, throw up my hair, put my glasses on, and be just plain old Bella, the small-town girl from Forks, Washington who really didn't know (or give) two shits about being hip.

"Look, there's Emmett!" Rose tugged on my arm and pointed across the room. Emmett Hale was a Broadway actor turned producer/director. Rose had been pining after him ever since she saw him in last year's big Broadway spectacle, _Breaking Dawn_. The performance earned him a Tony Award and his stylist dressed him in pieces from Rose's men's collection for the big night. He was definitely an attractive guy with a tall, muscular build, short, wavy blonde hair, and eyes the color of the ocean. Alice and I were convinced he was gay, but Rose was bound and determined to prove us wrong. I giggled as she checked her reflection in her compact before strutting across the room and planting a big, crimson colored kiss on his cheek.

"She's got balls I tell ya." I held my empty glass in the air, signaling the waiter for a refill, while Alice giggled in agreement.

"What Rose wants, Rose gets, even if he is homosexual." Alice clinked her glass against mine and winked at me. I sipped my champagne and surveyed the crowd. Dinner was over, which meant cocktail hour would commence, and people were already starting to mingle in the various rooms throughout the museum. I grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her towards the door.

"C'mon Al, there's too many single men to check out and too little time to do it!"

"You're a terrible influence, Swan." Alice giggled as we made our way to the patio.

That was the best thing about living in Manhattan – you never knew what the night would bring.

 

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"Glenlivet on the rocks." I tossed a ten on the bar, knowing full well the drink was free, but the bartender's ass alone was reason enough to tip big. She slid the drink towards me and I smiled suggestively before tossing my business card on the bar as well.

My eyes surveyed the crowd of people before me. The Guggenheim was one of my favorite spaces in the city. To see it turned in to some highbrow charity dog and pony show broke my heart a little. Then again, I was here myself wasn't I?

"You are one slick mother fucker, you know that?" Jasper Whitlock slapped me on the back appreciatively.

"Most of New York knows that my friend. Where have you been all these years?" I laughed and Jasper bumped his fist against mine. We grew up next door to one another in Brooklyn. We went to the same schools, spent summers in Europe on vacation, and roomed together during our freshman year at New York University. Now here we were, 31, still single, and living the dream (whatever the fuck that was) in the Big Apple.

"See any potentials here? Aside from your drink-pouring admirer." Jasper took a swig of his beer and leaned against the bar next to me. My eyes scanned the room once more. Too short. Too curvy. Too loud. Too made up. Too … Holy shit.

She was standing just outside the door to the patio, holding a cigarette in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other. The fabric of her dress clung to her curves, showing off her small waist and her petite, firm ass. She had the most amazing rack I'd ever seen and her legs … well, let's just say the hardness in my pants showed my approval. Her brown hair fell in waves past her chin and onto her shoulders. I knew right then and there that I needed to have her. And I would have her – later tonight.

"I believe I've found my next conquest…" My voice trailed off as I weaved my way across the room. She was engrossed in a conversation with her friend when I cleared my throat.

"Can we help you?" She smelled like a combination of oranges and cigarettes. Her eyes were bloodshot and glazed over, and some of her words slurred together. _All the easier it will be to take you to bed, sexy,_ I thought to myself.

"Do you know anything about iPhones? Mine seems to be broken." I hit her with the puppy dog eyes and a sheepish grin, holding the phone out to her. Her friend rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently. I recognized her from somewhere but my scotch-induced stupor prevented me from remembering any details.

"What's wrong with it? Not that I'd know anything about it, I haven't progressed past the flip phone era, but I could try to fix it." She took a gulp of champagne, probably to stop her nervous ramblings.

"Your number isn't in it," I said matter-of-factly. I was prepared for an eye roll, followed by a nervous smile, followed by the girl giving me her number and having several cocktails with me before going back to my place.

This girl was different. She choked on laughter and the champagne sprayed out her nose and all over the front of my Armani suit. Her brown eyes grew wide and her hand flew over her mouth in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry! I can't believe I did that! But really, can you blame me? Who uses pick up lines these days?"

I chuckled despite myself. Under normal circumstances I'd be furious with this bitch. This suit had cost me almost two grand. Her eyes and her smile somehow managed to extinguish my anger.

"Don't worry beautiful, with tits like those, you don't need to apologize for anything." This girl was a spitfire and I probably should have known better than to speak to her that way. Her expression quickly changed from one of mild-embarrassment to one of all out rage. She handed her champagne to her friend, took two steps towards me, drew her arm back, and WHACK! – slapped me (harder than I'd ever been slapped, might I add) across the face. Then, adding insult to injury, she set my phone on the table next to me, and poured the remainder of her champagne all over it.

"That should fix your problem. Now you can't run your disgusting mouth to any of the poor women in your phone book ever again." She spun around and grabbed her friend's wrist. "C'mon Alice. This asshole doesn't deserve our company." They disappeared into the crowd before I even had a chance to process what had happened.

"Ouch, man! What the hell was that?" Jasper asked, clapping his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off and made a beeline for the men's room. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my tie and dabbing at the champagne stains with a wet paper towel. If this was any other woman, I'd be furious. My brunette didn't have that effect on me. Her standoffish behavior only made me want her even more.

"I'll figure out who she is before the end of the night if it's the last thing I do," I said to the empty bathroom. I fixed the collar on my shirt and smirked at my reflection in the mirror. I was Edward Cullen, after all. I always got what – and who – I wanted.

I squared my shoulders and strode back out to the party, prepared to find my sassy girl and have my way with her.

 

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I spotted Rose near the bar and headed her way. Alice was somewhere behind me, trying to keep up with my ridiculous pace.

"I can't believe that son of a bitch had the audacity to talk to me that way!" I threw my purse down on the bar and balled my fists at my side. "Who the fuck does he think he is?"

"Um, Bella, this is Emmett Hale. Emmett Hale, meet Bella Swan, my best friend and the queen of speaking like a sailor." Rose elbowed my arm and shot me a look.

"Nice to meet you, Emmett. Breaking Dawn was terrific. And for the record, I reserve my sailor-speak for special occasions." I shook Emmett's hand and smiled.

"Could you walk any faster Bella? We weren't all gifted with long legs!" Alice slipped her heels off and massaged the balls of her feet. "Hi Emmett!"

"Good to see you again, Alice. Pleasure to meet you, Bella." Emmett looked frightened. I couldn't blame him. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the men's room." He gave Rose a light kiss on the cheek before leaving us to ourselves.

"God Bella, what a great way to make an impression! What the hell is going on anyway?" Rose was irritated. I felt a twinge of guilt but it quickly turned back to anger as the words _"with tits like those, you don't need to apologize for anything"_ played in my head.

"Oh please, stop being so dramatic, he's clearly smitten with you, he'll come back, I promise." I crossed my arms over my chest. "What's going on is some good looking prick just tried to weasel his way into my pants with the _worst_ pick up line ever."

"And you're complaining about this?" Rose rolled her eyes. "Bella, you haven't gotten laid in what, a year? You should be happy that someone even acknowledged the fact that you have a vag that's open for business."

"If he hadn't acted like a disgusting pig I might be more grateful." I looked around the room, hoping to see the asshole so I could point him out to Rose. "Who was that guy anyway?"

Alice smirked. "Edward Cullen." Rose and I both looked at her incredulously.

" _That_ was Edward Cullen?" Suddenly it all made sense. Edward Cullen was a household name in the Manhattan business world. He was the hottest new addition to Wall Street, a stockbroker with a knack for picking the best investments and a _very_ healthy appetite for sex. Or so I'd heard – and almost received the invitation to experience tonight. Half the models in Rosalie's last runway show (along with a good chunk of Manhattan's single female population) had fucked him. He was a bonafide playboy who knew how to wine, dine, and spoil even the prudest of women into submission. Of course he never stayed with any of them for more than a night or two. After his needs were met he threw them to the curb and moved on to the next one. For the past three years he'd been in the top five on the "NYC's Most Toxic Bachelors" list. The Empire State Building had fewer floors than he had notches on his bed – And that was one tall building!

"Sounds like you dodged a bullet my dear," Rose said, patting me on the back. "Although I must admit, I'm surprised by your level of self-control. That man is walking sex, most women would kill to be in your shoes, disgusting pig or not."

In truth, my panties had been wet since he trained his puppy dog eyes on me. I didn't think it was necessary to make anyone else privy to that information just yet, however.

"No shit." I glanced at my watch and sighed. "Now that Edward Cullen has managed to single-handedly ruin my evening, I think I'm going to call it a night. Do either of you want to share a cab?"

"I will! I have spinning class in the morning and my instructor will kill me if I show up half in the bag." Alice handed me my purse and stepped back into her shoes.

"I think I'm gonna stay for a bit. Emmett and I …" Rose trailed off and smiled shyly. It was an expression I hadn't seen her wear in a long time, and I couldn't help but smile with her. Evidentially Emmett was quite the guy.

"Shush, no explanations are necessary! We just expect all the details at brunch tomorrow!" I hugged Rose and she air kissed my cheek. Alice and I started for the door when I saw him staring at me from across the room.

Alice followed my gaze and pushed me. "Oh no you don't, missy. We're going to catch a cab, go home, and forget this night ever happened. By Monday you won't even remember Edward Cullen." Alice cocked her head to the side and lifted her hand in a small wave. "Although his friend is kinda cute." I swatted her arm playfully and resumed my trek to the door. It turned out Alice was right; by the time I got home the only thing on my mind was a bubble bath and my warm bed.

As I crawled between the sheets later that night, I silently thanked the higher power above for making New York such a big city. The last thing I needed was to have to worry about running into Edward Cullen on a daily basis.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"You might want to put some ice on that." Jasper pointed at my jaw. "You don't want to have an actual bruise on your face. That will tarnish your image."

"Fuck off, Whitlock." I rubbed my cheek, wincing in pain. I'd had a few more Glenlivet's since my failed hook-up attempt, and while they did take the edge off things, my ego was still bruised and my desire still burned strong.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. An entire room full of New York high society just saw you get spit up on and slapped. It can't get much worse than that." I glared at my best friend, wondering why I'd agreed to bring him to this stupid event in the first place.

"While it's been a pleasure spending this evening with you delighting in my public humiliation, I think I'm going to head home." I grabbed my suit coat off the back of the chair next to me, resisting the urge I had to hit Jasper.

"Hey man, no harm intended! I'm just in shock that you found a woman on this island who doesn't want to sleep with you."

"For your information, she never said she didn't _want_ to sleep with me. Given the opportunity, I'm sure she'd graciously accept an offer to go to bed." I'm not sure why I felt the need to defend myself. Getting turned down by one woman out of how many was nothing really. I was cocky, however, and I wasn't about to let this go. "In fact, I bet I could even make her fall in love with me."

"Are you willing to wager something on that?" Jasper reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash.

"It's going to take a hell of a lot more than money to send me on a wild goose chase like this. Money I already have, my friend." Jasper raised his eyebrows and reached in his pocket again, this time dropping a house key on the tabletop.

"My Hamptons house is yours if you can win this woman over." Jasper was staring at something across the room with an amused smirk on his face. I followed his gaze and saw her gathering her things at the bar. She leaned in to hug the tall blonde standing next to her before following her friend from before towards the door.

"All I have to do is get her to love me? You've got yourself a deal." I shook Jasper's hand, making our bet official. "Women tell me they love me before they even get in my apartment, Whitlock."

"Oh no, I'm talking _real_ love buddy. I want to see her marching down Madison Ave. proclaiming her feelings for you. None of this 'I'm in love with your cock' bullshit. If she doesn't say it, out loud, for all of us to hear, I keep the house _and_ you get to give me that brand spanking new BMW."

"Real love, huh?" Jessica Stanley crossed my mind briefly, but I didn't want to let myself go there. Not right now, not in public. "Real love is not hard to create, my friend. All it takes is a few nice dinners, a Broadway show or two, a couple dozen roses, some nice jewelry, and voila!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Jasper held his beer in the air and smiled. Across the room, my brunette and her friend had stopped in their tracks and were glaring at us. The short one nudged her in the back and whispered something before giving Jasper a small wave and heading out the door.

"I hope you're ready to vacation in Rhode Island next summer, my friend, cause your Hamptons pad is going to be all mine." I slipped my suit coat on and made sure my house keys were in the pocket before paging the driver. Jasper shook his head at my arrogance, drained his beer, and followed me out to the car.

"Best of luck my friend. Best of luck."

"Who needs luck?" The words fell off my tongue smoothly, and for a minute I believed them.

Then reality hit and I wanted to choke myself.

I, Edward Cullen, did not do _love_ , even when a beautiful Hamptons house was on the line.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?


	2. Nothing but the Headlines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Banners, blinkies, music, and all other inspiration can be found over on my blog - www.blueeyedcherryfanfiction.com. 
> 
> Chloe Masen is my lifeline in this crazy world of fanfic. Thank you a million times over for all the time you spend reading my stuff, bantering on Twitter, and listening to me on iChat. You are the best! :) xoxo
> 
> There might be a lemon or two ahead ... ;) Reviews/comments = love, so don't be afraid to leave some! 
> 
> \- N. 
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

**Bella's POV**

Edward Cullen made an appearance in my dreams that night. By the time I woke up, I was so hot and bothered that I took a cold shower for good measure.

I didn't put much effort into getting ready since I was only meeting Rose and Alice. We'd been going to Sara Beth's every Sunday for brunch for the past five years. It was conveniently located for all three of us, and close enough to both Madison and Fifth Avenues that Rose could indulge in retail therapy after we ate. _Perhaps someone should warn Emmett about her compulsive shopping tendencies._ The thought made me snicker.

I pulled on my favorite hooded sweatshirt and headed out the door. Autumn was the best season in the city. The air was crisp, the leaves were slowly changing color, and all the shops started changing their displays for the holidays. I found Alice and Rose at our usual table by the window.

"I would like the everything porridge with a side of bacon and a coffee with room for cream please." Alice looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm starving, drinking does that to me."

"I'll have the veggie omelet, no cheese, made with egg whites, and a water."

Rose was always the last to order. "I'll take the fruit bowl with an English muffin and orange juice." She was also the only one of us that ate the same exact thing every weekend. I was sure all the wait staff had her order memorized by now and just continued to ask for it as a formality.

"Okay, spill the beans. What happened after we left last night?" Alice wasn't one to beat around the bush. Rose blushed and a devilish grin spread across her face.

"He's definitely not gay, I can tell you that much." Alice and I pretended to look shocked. "He came back to my place and told me he'd liked me ever since the Tony Awards. He said he was afraid to ask me out because I seem so 'powerful' and 'independent.'" Rose held her hands up and made quotation marks with her fingers.

I stirred two packets of Splenda and a pod of half and half in my coffee, hoping the caffeine would make the inevitable sex talk easier to endure. "Did you show him how powerful you are between the sheets?"

"More like he showed me." The waitress returned with our food, halting the conversation for the briefest of moments. "Ladies, I have never met a man who was so rough in bed. My hair got pulled, my ass got slapped, and he had me in all these wild positions. Best of all, he has the biggest dic-"

"I draw the line at discussions about penis size when I'm eating!" I shook my spoon at Rose in mock disapproval. "So tell us, now that all the spanking has subsided, are you going to see him again?"

"He's still at my apartment. Right before we fell asleep he told me he wanted to cook for me this week. Something about showing me how a real man treats a lady." Alice and I both sighed.

"Any man who offers to cook for you is a keeper," I teased.

"Any man who isn't Jacob fucking Black is a keeper," Rose sneered. She and Jacob started dating shortly after we moved to New York. He was a total douche bag, something that Alice and I reminded Rose of every day, but she loved him enough to stay with him through four long years of bullshit. Things finally came to an end when she returned early from a trip to LA and found Jacob in bed with her cousin Tanya. He still tried to call from time to time, but Rose always stood her ground and put him in his place.

"I know it's a little off topic, but there's something I wanted to show you." Alice smirked and slid the paper across the table. I felt all the blood drain from my face as I stared at the column.

There it was, in big, bold letters: " **IS BELLA SWAN NEW YORK'S BITCHIEST BACHELORETTE?"** There were two pictures of Edward and I underneath it, one of me hitting him in the face and one of me pouring my champagne all over his phone. I cringed as Rose read the article out loud.

"Manhattan PR executive Isabella Swan made quite the scene during Victoria White's charity event at the Guggenheim last night. The 29-year-old up-and-coming socialite, whose claim to fame is her friendship with popular fashion designer, Rosalie Smith, tries to avoid all red carpet events. When she makes an appearance, however, she certainly leaves her mark. This time it was on playboy Edward Cullen's face! Our sources tell us that Swan got feisty – and a bit nasty – when Cullen, 31, tried to make her acquaintance. The brunette beauty gave Cullen a slap and then did what no woman has dared do before: destroyed his cell phone.

"Swan's display didn't discourage Cullen, however. Sources say the finance guru spent the rest of the night eyeing her from across the room – and not with distaste!

"What's going on with these two young Manhattanites? Is Bella Swan really just a bitch? Or does she have a secret Edward Cullen itch that she's dying to scratch? No matter what the circumstance, we can't wait to see the story of this New York duo unfold."

I wasn't sure if I should be humiliated or furious.

"Secret 'Edward Cullen itch?' You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Apparently I was taking the furious route. "There is no new 'duo' doing any unfolding here. As far as I'm concerned I never want to see that man's hopelessly gorgeous mug again!" Tears sprung to my eyes.

Alice flagged down the waitress. "Can we get our check please?" She patted my shoulder comfortingly. "It's just cheesy gossip, Bell. By the end of the week nobody will think twice of it."

"Which was why you just _had_ to bring it up at brunch, right?" Rosalie scolded.

"Yeah, except now I have to watch over my shoulder for him because God forbid anyone sees us in the same vicinity. The next thing you know they'll have us getting married." I gulped down the rest of my coffee and stuffed a twenty in the leather pad that held our checks. Rose grabbed the cash and handed it back to me.

"My treat today," she said, handing the waitress her credit card.

"Wow, you need to get laid more often." Rose stuck her tongue out at Alice and signed the charge receipt.

"What's on the agenda today, ladies?" I followed my friends outside where Rose's car was waiting.

"I do believe a good old fashioned Madison Avenue shopping trip is in order. I need some new shoes for my dinner date with Emmett."

"Bianca's concert is tonight. I have to spruce up the apartment before my parents get here." Bianca was Alice's younger sister. She recently graduated from the Juilliard School and was now playing with a symphony.

"What about you, bitchy bachelorette from hell?" I flipped Rose off for the comment.

"Crawling into a hole and dying?" I could only keep a straight face for a minute and then we all three broke out in laughter.

"Ciao girls! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!" Rose air kissed us both before hopping in the Lincoln. I gave Alice a hug and headed off towards my apartment.

The words from the gossip article were stuck to my brain like glue.

"Itch to scratch … New York duo … Pfft," I muttered as I lit a cigarette.

I would do cartwheels backwards through the flaming pits of hell before I was part of any duo involving Edward Cullen.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_Seven A.M.? What the fuck am I doing up at seven A.M.?_

My head throbbed from drinking too much scotch, my back hurt from sleeping in an awkward position, and my crotch ached from the onset of my usual morning wood. I wandered out to my living room, pulling back the curtains and inviting the sun in.

Even though I watched the city come to life each day, I was still a little awestruck by the sight of it. Food vendors were busy setting their carts up and serving their first customers. Newspaper stand clerks were bustling around organizing their displays and making sure there were plenty of copies of the Sunday edition of the _New York Times_ for purchase. People strolled out of Starbucks with cappuccinos and lattes in hand, some alone, some with friends, and some dressed in their Sunday best. Across the street several sets of joggers were stretching in Central Park, preparing for their morning workout.

I leaned my head against the floor-to-ceiling glass and sighed. Portions of last night flashed through my mind; champagne flying at me, my brunette's eyes flashing with anger before she hit me, the way her ass looked when she'd stormed off … and, of course, the bet.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to decide how to handle this situation. I still had no idea who this girl was, but I could probably figure that out with a few phone calls. I'd made a horrible first impression, and based on her reaction, I knew it was going to take a hell of a lot more than an apology to change her opinion of me. _Don't forget the part about making her fall in love with you_ , a tiny voice in the back of my head chided.

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I needed to go for a run. It was the only way I could clear my head and make some of the stress go away. Before that, however, I needed to relieve myself of the massive bulge in my boxers.

I started for my bedroom but headed for the bathroom instead, not wanting to worry about cleaning up after myself. I stripped off my boxers, letting my hard-on spring free, and stepped in the shower. The water felt nice, easing the pain in my head just a tad. I took my cock in my hand, running my palm up and down the shaft slowly. I leaned against the tiles and closed my eyes, picturing her naked and on her knees before me.

In my fantasy, the water slid down her shoulders and fell off her perky breasts in a stream of warm droplets. She had her lips wrapped around my cock and her big brown eyes were locked with mine. Her hand was on her clit, rubbing it in fast circles with an increasing amount of pressure. I swept her hair to the side so I could see her face, running the back of my hand along her jaw and down her neck.

I curled my fingers around my cock and began to jerk up and down quickly, using my fingertips to massage the slick combination of precum and water into the soft skin of the head. I used my other hand to cup my balls, squeezing them gently and rolling them against my palm. I kept this pattern, alternating between long, even strokes and faster ones. I wanted the fantasy to go on as long as possible. Unfortunately my body, particularly my dick, didn't want to cooperate. It didn't take more than a few minutes for the familiar pre-orgasmic heat to start to spread throughout my thighs and lower abdomen. I hunched forward as my cock emptied itself in five strong spurts.

In my fantasy, my sexy brunette came at the same time, swallowing everything I gave her, and moaning in ecstasy while my dick was still in her mouth.

I stood motionless under the water, savoring the moment and allowing the haze to lift from my brain. When I could finally feel my legs in their entirety, I slipped into some sweats and a wife-beater, laced up my Nikes, and grabbed my iPod.

I'd been running every morning since high school. It was my escape, the one activity that took my mind off of everything else that was going on in my life. When I was running, nothing and no one else mattered. It was just me, my tunes, and the scenery of Central Park.

Today I just couldn't seem to relax. All I could think about was the bet and the brunette and what my plan of action should be. Seeing her again would probably be easy enough. Getting her to engage in an actual conversation with me was going to be the tricky part. I jogged down 92nd Avenue, stopping for a red light at Madison. I leaned over, resting my hands on my knees and taking deep breaths. I wiped some sweat from my forehead and looked up to see if the traffic light had changed.

There she was, flanked by her two friends from the previous night. They walked a few yards in the opposite direction of the diner they'd emerged from before doubling over in laughter at something she said. Her smile was contagious and it took me a minute to realize I was now grinning like an idiot. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, and glasses. Her hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail and her face showed no hint of makeup. Even casual looked good on this woman.

Her blonde friend blew the other two kisses before climbing into a waiting Towncar. My brunette hugged her other friend goodbye and started walking … directly towards me.

Not wanting to seem like a stalker on top of an asshole, I quickly jogged across the street and continued for another block down Madison. When I was sure she was nowhere to be seen I headed back in the direction of my apartment.

Jasper was outside when I got there. He thrust a Dunkin Donuts cup at me, which I gladly accepted.

"Another beautiful Sunday in Manhattan." He grabbed a newspaper off the hood of his car and followed me inside. "I must admit I'm rather surprised to see you up this early."

"You're telling me. I felt like a fucking disaster an hour ago." The run had done nothing to ease my mind but it certainly had helped to ease my hangover. I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and kicked off my shoes. Jasper dropped down on my sofa and flipped the TV on.

"We gonna watch the Giants game later?" I nodded at him before ducking into my room. I took a quick shower and put on a pair of jeans and a black sweater before joining my friend in the living room.

Jasper slid the newspaper he'd been carrying across the coffee table at me. "I thought you might enjoy a bit of Sunday morning humor." I looked at him curiously, opening the paper to the page he'd earmarked. I grimaced in horror when I saw the headline and the photos.

"Fuck man, you've got to be kidding me." My eyes skimmed the article and I literally laughed out loud when I read the part about her suspected itch. "Bella Swan, huh? So you _do_ have a name, beautiful."

"I'm not sure if this will help your cause, but at least you can look her up now." Jasper flipped through the channels aimlessly. "And while you track down Bella, I'm going to track down Alice Erickson."

"Who?"

"Your brunette's friend from the party. I did a little research this morning and it looks like they're business partners."

"Erickson you said?" I racked my brain for some reason as to why I'd recognize her name.

"Yep." Jasper leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. "Her family owns New York Stock and Bond." My head snapped up in recognition.

"I can't believe I didn't put two and two together before." I stood up and paced across the living room. "Carlisle and Esme hired her to do their annual bash in the Hamptons a few years ago. I remember Esme saying something about her having a business partner who was back in Washington visiting her family. That must be Bella." My parents operated a chain of five-star hotels that spanned down the Eastern seaboard. Every August they threw a party for their friends, family, and most loyal guests. Eventually the guest list started getting too big and some of the names were too high profile. That was when Esme began hiring PR firms to handle everything from the invitations to security arrangements.

"No shit? So Esme is the gateway to both of these women?" Jasper's eyes met mine and I knew we were on the same page. I grabbed my keys and Jasper got the door.

 _This is too easy_ , I thought as we got in Jasper's SUV. Esme would give us Alice's number, Jasper would get his date with her, and I would have access to Bella.

I couldn't help but smile as I thought about all the banging parties we would throw at _my_ Hamptons pad next summer.

If all went as planned, I would have a date set up with Bella by the end of the week.

And by the end of the year … well, she'd be in love with me.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

After brunch I tried to keep myself busy. I did all my laundry, cleaned my apartment, went grocery shopping, and even managed to get in a workout at the gym. I painted my nails, rearranged my bedroom, and read a few chapters from a book before finally settling into bed for the night.

That was three hours ago. It was almost one in the morning and I had yet to fall asleep.

The reason behind my insomnia was ridiculous. Every time I closed my eyes all I saw was Edward Cullen's face staring back at me. His green eyes stood out against his light skin and his auburn hair was gelled up in a playful fashion.

"Damn it all…" I sighed in frustration and reached in the nightstand beside me. Maybe I couldn't count on a man to provide me with nightly pleasure but my trusty bullet never failed me.

I ran my fingers across my stomach and up to my breasts, pinching one of my nipples and massaging the soft skin around it. I clicked my toy on and slid it inside my pajama pants. Usually I teased myself for a bit but tonight I jumped right in the game, circling my clit with the vibrating plastic. The sensations traveled through my body and a moan escaped my lips.

In my fantasy, Edward had me pinned up against the wall of my kitchen. My legs were wrapped around his waist and he was thrusting in and out quickly. Sweat beaded his forehead, my fingers were twisted in his hair, and the only noises I could hear were the sounds of labored breathing mixed with moans and cries of pleasure.

My body arched off the bed as the orgasm tore through me. I bit my fist to avoid screaming and fell limply against the sheets.

After that I had no trouble falling asleep.

I made a mental note to thank Edward Cullen for the mind-blowing fantasy.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

After a few hours of internal debate I gave in and dialed the number. It probably wouldn't look very professional, leaving a voicemail at 2:24 on a Monday morning, but I didn't care. I couldn't wait any longer.

One, two, three rings passed with no answer. The fourth ring triggered the voicemail: _"Hello! You've reached the office of Alice Erickson. I'm either on the phone or away from my desk, but if you leave a detailed message including your name, phone number, and the reason for your call, I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you and have a wonderful day!"_

I took a deep breath and waited for the beep.

"Hello Alice. My name is Edward Cullen. I was hoping you could help me with something. I'm looking for information on hiring a publicist…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can any of you guess who Edward's publicist might be...? *wink wink*


	3. Business, Not Pleasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU to everyone who is reading this! I hope people are enjoying the story so far! For anyone wondering, the storylines for Alice/Jasper and Rosalie/Emmett will be incorporated into this as well. There is a separate thread I'll be posting called "Hot Commodity: The Edward & Bella Diaries," which will contain journal entries from college that provide more of a backstory on our favorite characters. Look for that soon! 
> 
> As awlays, thank you oh so much to the lovely Chloe Masen for exercising her supurb beta skills! :)
> 
> \- N. 
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

**Bella's POV**

Alice was waiting in my office when I arrived at work on Wednesday morning. _Great, just what I need_ , I thought as I threw my coat and bag on a chair. The only time Alice ever met me in my office was when there was bad news to break or I was in trouble for something. I went through my mental checklist of recent projects and everything seemed in order.

"Good Morning!" Alice's singsong voice was bright and cheerful. _Too_ bright and cheerful.

"Okay, what is going on?" I sat down and eyed her with trepidation. Alice looked panicked for a moment but composed herself quickly.

"I wanted to brief you on your ten o'clock meeting." Relief washed over me and I let out an audible sigh. I knew my schedule like the back of my hand and I didn't have any appointments scheduled this morning. In all fairness, Alice was always prepared, but sometimes her OCD tendencies got in the way and caused small mix-ups.

"You must be referring to my consultation with the Spencers. That's tomorrow, Al. My schedule is wide open until two today." I reached over and turned on my computer, preparing to start my usual routine.

"Actually there is a meeting today." The panic returned to Alice's features, only this time she did nothing to mask it. "It's a last minute thing, I kind of set it up last night after you'd gone home."

"Oh no, Alice." I dropped my head in my hands and took a deep breath. I'd overslept this morning so I had to forego a shower and skip out on the makeup. My hair was currently held up in a messy bun by a pencil and the onion bagel I'd consumed while on the subway left my breath in less-than-desirable condition. The last thing I was ready to do this morning was sell our services to a potential client. "I can't pitch anything looking like this. Why didn't you call me last night?"

"I'm sorry Bella, it slipped my mind." _Yeah, just like this job is going to slip this mystery client's mind after they see me._

"Who is it anyway?" I shuffled through my desk drawer in search of the materials I'd need for the meeting. It was already ten minutes to ten and the clock wasn't ticking any slower. Alice sat and stared at me, visibly contemplating how she was going to answer my question. "Alice, it's almost ten, I'm not playing games, just tell me who the damn client is so I can get my shit together."

"Edward Cullen." Her voice was a whisper. She cringed when she saw my expression. I felt the blood rising to my face as anger pulsed through my veins. New York was the biggest city in the damn county. I was willing to bet there were hundreds of PR firms for him to choose from. Why the hell did he have to pick ours? And why the hell did Alice think I would want to work with him?

"Alice." I kept my voice as calm as I could. "Please tell me that you're joking."

She stood up and backed towards the door. "I'm sorry, Bella, I should have told you. If it helps I told him absolutely no meeting the first two times I talked to him. I tried to ward him off but he was insistent on working with us. I did some work for his parents a few years back and they recommended us."

"They recommended _us_ Alice; as in both of us. As in there's no reason why you can't meet with him." I clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to keep my voice down. The last thing I wanted to do was cause a scene in the office.

"He requested you specifically." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but this could be huge for us. He's popular and his name could draw in a lot of business, especially from the Wall Street sector."

" _You_ don't like this anymore than _I_ do?" I spit out. "I don't think that's possible. In case you forgot, it was _my_ pants he was trying to get in last weekend!"

There was a light knock on my door accompanied by the sound of a throat clearing.

"Is this a bad time?"

I looked up and found myself face-to-face with the bright green eyes that had occupied my fantasies for the past three nights.

Edward fucking Cullen.

I was going to kill Alice for this.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

If looks could kill I'd be a dead man. Hell, she'd probably have killed me nine times over by now.

Bella was angry. Even if I hadn't heard the end of her conversation with Alice, I would have known just by looking at her. Her cheeks were flushed red and her eyes were flashing. Her hands were curled into tiny fists at her sides and she was leaning forward over the top of her desk looking like a lioness ready to pounce on her prey. Alice looked back and forth between Bella and I twice before clearing her own throat awkwardly.

"Good Morning Edward!" She gave my hand a firm shake and smiled brightly. "I'm Alice Erickson. This is my partner, Bella Swan. Can I get you anything to drink, coffee or water?"

"No thanks, I'm good for now." I said smoothly.

"Great!" Alice turned around at the door to the office, giving Bella a pointed glance. "Please try to behave yourself. I'll be in my office if you need anything."

"So…" I had no idea what to say. Bella hadn't moved an inch. "Where would you like me to sit?" She gave me no response so I took a seat in the chair closest to her desk.

"What are you doing here?" She still hadn't moved but her fists were unclenched and her expression had softened slightly.

"I believe I'm here to discuss representation with you." I kept my tone polite and professional. "I'm not sure how much information Alice gave you, but I have a book coming out next month and I need a publicist."

She sank into her chair and shuffled through some papers on her desk. She meant business. I liked that.

"A book, huh? Successful investments, million dollar real estate ventures, books … is there anything you don't do, Mr. Cullen?" Her words were laced with sarcasm.

"Well I haven't done you yet so I guess that's one thing." The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think. She stood up and crossed the room, opening the door and gesturing to the hallway.

"This is a place of business Mr. Cullen, not a meat market. I would suggest you find a different firm to work with if that's how you plan on conducting yourself." Her tone was icy and her dark eyes blazed with anger. I admired her wits.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to say that." I stood up, straightening my tie and running a hand through my hair. "Let's try this again. There are lots of things I don't do, mostly because they're beyond the realm of my abilities or they just don't interest me."

She closed the door and walked back to her desk. She leaned back in her chair and raised an eyebrow at me. "Why our firm?"

I shrugged. "My mother had nothing but good things to say about the work Alice did for one of her parties. I hit Google, found a few more rave reviews, and discovered that you in particular come highly recommended."

" What exactly are you looking for, Mr. Cullen?" She was busy taking notes now. "As far as services go, that is."

I snickered at her clarification. "I need someone to help with the book publicity. There will be a book release party, of course, talk show appearances, probably a newspaper column or two. I was hoping to get a few magazine interviews lined up as well. I hear that's one of your specialties. "

"I certainly have my connections." She put her pen down and looked up at me. "This might be a dumb question, but how much are you looking to spend?"

"There is no such thing as a dumb question." I thought I saw a trace of a faint smile on her lips. "And to answer you, the sky is the limit."

"What exactly is this book about, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It teaches young people all about making wise investments at an early age so they can live in comfort when they get older."

"Something you know all about, no doubt." The hardness returned to her eyes.

I steeled under her gaze. "Finance is something I'm good at. I won't apologize for that Bella, not to you or anyone else. I worked hard to get to where I am."

It was her turn to apologize now. "I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't believe everything I read."

"No, you shouldn't." I looked at my watch and acted like I was in a hurry. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have a lunch thing at noon that I can't miss."

She stood up and walked around the desk. "I'm willing to do your representation, but there's a few things you need to understand. First, I am your publicist, not your friend. Second, no more of that playboy persona in any interviews. I'm putting my neck on the line for you here, I expect you to respect that. Third, you say nothing, and I mean nothing about me to any of the trash rags. It was bad enough seeing my face all over in the tabs after the Guggenheim benefit, I don't want this business partnership to spark any more rumors."

"Consider it done."

"I'll draw up the contracts and have them ready by Friday. Can you meet me here at ten that morning to sign them? And bring me all the information you have on your book, the publisher's name, a copy if you have it already, an overview of it. I need to start getting press releases ready and contacting media outlets."

"Absolutely, I'll be here." I stood up and reached my hand out. "Partners?" She sat for a moment before nodding at me. Palm-to-palm contact would come later I guessed.

"Is there anything else I can do for you Mr. Cullen?"

I nodded. "Call me Edward."

"I'll see you Friday, Edward." She went back to her desk and busied herself with her computer. I walked down the hall feeling a combination of relief and pride. I don't know how I pulled this off but I did.

Operation get-Bella-Swan-to-fall-in-love-with-me was officially underway.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

As soon as I saw the elevator door close I was on the phone with Rose.

"Can you meet me at the deli?" I had no idea why I was whispering.

"Now? I have a meeting with a stylist in an hour."

"Please Rose? I promise, it won't take more than twenty minutes." I pleaded with her. When she sighed I knew she'd given in.

"You so owe me."

I grabbed my purse and ran towards the elevators. Alice wasn't in her office and I thanked my lucky stars for this. I was more than angry with her for pinning Edward on me. No amount of publicity was worth the torture of having to work with him.

I was chain smoking outside when Rose walked up.

"I already ordered for us." I tossed my cigarette into the street and smiled gratefully at Rose. "Thank you for meeting me last minute. I know you're pressed for time, I promise I won't keep you long."

"God Bella, you look like shit. And what is that god awful onion smell?" Rose pinched her nose shut and made a face.

"I just got out of a meeting with Edward Cullen," I sneered. "Can you believe that? Edward 'with-tits-like-those-you-don't-need-to-apologize-for-anything' Cullen just left my fucking office."

Rose grabbed my elbow and steered me to an empty table. "Slow down, slow down. What do you mean you just had a meeting with him? What was he doing there?"

"Alice set it up. Said it was too good of an opportunity for us to pass up. Some bullshit about bringing in business from the Wall Street sector." The waitress took our order and I dropped my forehead on the table.

"She did that?" Rose shook her head in disbelief. "That was awfully bitchy of her. Why didn't she meet with him herself?"

I stabbed my salad a little too forcefully. "Oh, he _requested_ me. Then gave me some bullshit story about how he Googled us and I came highly recommended. I mean, give me a fucking break. He's just trying to torture me after what happened on Saturday."

Rose looked at me thoughtfully, taking a few bites of her burger. "Bella, I love you very dearly so please try not to hit me after I say this. What if he just wants a reputable publicist?"

I'll admit, the thought hadn't crossed my mind. After Saturday I figured Edward was just coming around to try and finish what he unsuccessfully started. Maybe Rose was right though – maybe he really was just looking for someone with a good track record to represent him?

"Alice is reputable too," I pointed out. "You don't get it Rose. It was humiliating to sit there and act normal with him after what happened."

Rose squeezed my hand and gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry honey. I wasn't trying to minimize your feelings. I just think you should give him a chance to prove you wrong, that's all. You never know, you might end up with a new friend when all is said and done."

"I don't think so." I pushed my plate away in disgust. Any appetite I had was gone. "I could kill Alice right now."

"You love me far too much to kill me." I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders in a tight squeeze. I shot Rose a _"why did you invite her when I asked you not to?"_ look but she just shrugged.

"Count your blessings that we're in a public place, Pixie. Otherwise your ass would be grass." Alice slid into the open chair next to me and gave me her infamous pout. _Don't give in, don't give in,_ I thought to myself. Unfortunately the pout always won. I couldn't stay mad at Alice no matter how hard I tried.

"I assume since you're here you didn't kill Cullen either?" Alice grabbed a cucumber slice off my plate and popped it in her mouth.

"I'm representing him."

"Oh wow Bella, I didn't think you'd agree to it!" Alice's eyes lit up. "What's his deal anyway? He was pretty vague with me on the phone."

I paid for our lunch and we headed outside for a cigarette. "He has a book coming out. Some finance thing of course. He hired me to handle everything – promotional press, the book release party, book signings, the whole works."

Rose scoffed. " _He_ has a book coming out? The publishing world must be getting pretty desperate."

I pointed my cigarette at her and smirked. "Great minds think alike! That was my thought exactly!"

"His name alone could buy him a hundred publishing contracts." Alice butted her cigarette and glanced at her watch. "I need to hustle. I have a meeting at one."

"I'm going to be late to meet with the stylists if I don't hurry too." Rose gave us each a hug and peck on the cheek. "I'll text you both later! And don't dwell Bella, everything is going to work out fine."

Alice hugged me as well. "I really am sorry Bella. I should have talked to you when he first called. If it's any comfort, I know Esme Cullen quite well and she'd be more than happy to put her son in his place if he got fresh with you."

"Oh I can handle Edward. Trust me."

Perhaps I was being a bit overconfident.

Somewhere between 34th and 35th street reality hit me. Resisting Edward's charms would be a full-time job in and of itself. Was I even up to the task? I didn't exactly have a ton of experience with men. Sure I'd dated a few and had serious relationships with two others, but they weren't rich, powerful, drop-dead-gorgeous professional players.

_Holy shit, this whole situation is way out of my league._

More importantly, unlike any other business partnerships I'd entered into, the media had already tainted this one. If it were to, oh I don't know, end badly, it would be a public spectacle for all of Manhattan to see.

What had I gotten myself into?

* * *

**Edward's POV**

As soon as I got to my car I called Jasper.

"Jasper Whitlock." He belted out his traditional greeting.

"Will there ever come a day when you answer the phone and don't sound like a complete tool?" I gave him grief for this all the time.

"Fuck off. How did the meeting go?"

"You're talking to Bella Swan's newest client." I held the phone away from my ear, telling the driver where to go before continuing my conversation. "It was a lot easier than I expected, she caved pretty quick."

Jasper clicked his tongue. "They drop like flies under your charm."

"What can I say my friend? Years of practice have helped create this New York man monster." I burst out laughing at my own choice of words. "Did you call Alice yet?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

More silence followed by a loud sigh. "Nope I haven't."

"Awe, c'mon man, why not?" Jasper was the kind of guy who looked for love. One-night stands never were his cup of tea.

"I didn't even get a chance to talk to her at the benefit. She'll think I'm some crazy stalker if I just call her out of the blue."

"True. I'll keep my ears peeled when I'm around Bella, maybe we can casually show up at the same place they're at one night or something." I could practically hear the smile on Jasper's face.

"Good thinking! Now I need to get off the phone before Aro rips my head off." Aro was Jasper's editor. He was a good businessman but a first class prick as well.

"I'll see you tonight. Bond 45 at eight right?"

"I'll be there." Jasper clicked off the line as fast as he'd picked it up.

I scrolled trough my phone book until her name was highlighted. _Go ahead, make the call_ , a little voice in my head encouraged. My thumb hovered over the call button for a moment before I locked the screen and shoved the phone in my pocket.

I leaned my head against the seat and closed my eyes. Maybe someday Jessica would forgive me for what I did to her.

I knew I'd never forgive myself.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews/comments are always appreciated! 
> 
> In upcoming chapters, more POVs are included, such as Rose, Alice, Emmett, etc. I'm not trying to cause any confusion, I just think it's the best way to tell the story. And of course they'll be clearly labeled. 
> 
> Looks like our beloved Edward might have an intersting back story. Perhaps it might account for his arrogance ... and easyness? ;)


	4. Putting Plans in Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHLOE MASEN - This chapter is dedicated to YOU! Thank you for your help with all your beta work! xoxo
> 
> Without further ado, I present ... chapter 4! 
> 
> \- N. 
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

**Edward's POV**

"Mmmm … Edward, oh my god." Her cries were a bit loud but I didn't care. That only meant I was living up to my reputation.

I didn't remember her name but at this point that didn't matter. She'd approached me at the bar and I liked that. It was nice to know there were some women out there who weren't afraid to go after what they wanted instead of sitting back and waiting for the man to make the first move.

This woman was stunning – especially in her current position. Her brown hair cascaded messily across the pillow, with a few stray strands clinging to her damp forehead. Her clear blue eyes were half closed and her full lips hung open in ecstasy. Her arms were spread out across the bed and her fists were clenching the sheets as I drove into her.

I pulled her legs up until her calves rested on my shoulders. I turned my head, giving her ankle a small kiss before slamming my cock into her as hard as I could. She let out an indecipherable scream as I pulled all the way out, rubbing the head over her sensitive nub slowly and gently. I enjoyed teasing her, bringing her to the edge and then pulling the rug out from under her. And, truth be told, I was nearing my own release, and I wanted the moment to last for just a few minutes longer.

In one swift motion, I rolled onto my back and lifted her over me. She grabbed my cock, steadying it beneath her, and sank down on it.

"Uhhhh," was all I could manage. She was warm, wet, and tight and I loved the way I felt inside of her. She began to move up and down, riding me quickly, her hair flying wildly around her face. I reached up and grabbed one of her breasts with my hand, pinching her nipple hard and raising my hips to meet her. My other hand went straight to her clit. I rubbed the swollen skin in circles with my thumb, watching as she came undone before me.

"Edward, Edward." She slid herself up and down my cock faster, grabbing my hair and pulling my head to her. Her lips found mine and she devoured me between shallow, heavy breaths. "Just like that, just like … YESSSSS! AHHHH!"

Her pussy tightened around my cock and I knew she'd reached her peak. I couldn't hold out any longer myself and I knew I was about to find my own climax.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck … UHHHH!" My back arched off the bed and my hips rose one final time as I released my load into the condom. The nameless brunette fell limp across my chest, planting a kiss on each of my nipples. We both lay still in the dark, enjoying the relaxing after effects of a good orgasm.

She rolled off of me and I glanced at my alarm clock. _Fuck, how did it get to be three am so quickly?_ I had my meeting with Bella at ten and I needed to be on top of my game.

"Look, I'd love to have you stay but I have a meeting early tomorrow…" She stuck one finger over my lips and shook her head at me.

"I wasn't planning on staying." She stood up and slipped her thong and bra on before looking for her dress. "I know who you are. I know the rules. In after the sun goes down, out before it comes back up."

I smirked and headed to the bathroom. I cleaned myself off, took a much-needed piss, and wandered towards the front door. She had her back to me and I heard myself let out a quiet growl at the sight. _I hate to see you go baby, but I LOVE to watch you leave._ I was a fucking pig, but for some reason the ladies loved it.

I ran my hand down her back, squeezing her ass and giving it a light slap. I leaned in and kissed her neck before whispering in her ear. "What did you say your name was?"

"Chloe," she breathed. I spun her around so she was facing me again and pressed my mouth against hers, running my tongue along her bottom lip and cupping her face in my hands. Her lips parted and I felt her tongue slip between my teeth ever so slowly. I caressed it with mine and allowed myself to explore her mouth one last time.

"It was a _pleasure_ Chloe. Call me if you're ever lonely." I opened the door and she stepped out wordlessly. I locked it behind her, heading back to my room and slipping between the rumpled sheets. The bed smelled like a combination of sweat, sex, and Chloe's perfume.

Her words echoed in my mind: _"I know who you are. I know the rules. In after the sun goes down, out before it comes back up."_ Was that really the guy I wanted to be at this age?

That was the last thought on my mind before I fell fast asleep.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I pulled yet another outfit from my closet and held it up in the mirror. This was ensemble number five and I still wasn't satisfied. After looking like a complete mess at our first meeting on Wednesday, I was determined to look as put together as possible when I saw Edward this morning.

I settled on a black pencil skirt, a pair of knee-high boots Alice had given me for my last birthday, and a taupe colored wrap around top. I threw on some makeup, straightened my hair, and grabbed a bagel – a plain one this time – before heading out.

Starbucks was packed, as usual. The crisp October air drove everyone, including myself, inside for hot drinks. I took a spot at the end of the line and pulled my notepad out. I was busy going through my mile-long list of things to do when it was my turn to order.

"I'll have a skinny cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and extra foam." I was reaching in my purse to pay the barista when a hand shot past the side of my head.

"I'll take care of hers. Add mine on there too please, James." He handed him a twenty and motioned for James to put the change in the tip jar. His voice made my skin crawl. _You better get used to hearing it Swan, he's your client now._ I slipped my notepad back into my shoulder bag and turned around.

"I could have gotten that myself you know." I was deliberately snotty. I'd have to learn to curb that too – or stop it all together – now that I was representing him.

"I'm sure you could have." Edward grabbed our drinks and handed me mine before we went back out into the busy New York street. "But since I was here and you were here, I thought I'd buy it for you as a peace offering."

"Giving your publicist peace offerings before you've even signed a contract is never a good sign." I lit a cigarette and quickened my pace. Why did this man make me so nervous?

"Bella." He grabbed my shoulder gently and spun me around to face him. "We both know I was an asshole last weekend."

"Don't forget your charming performance in my office on Wednesday."

"I was an asshole then too." He raked a hand through his hair and looked down at me. "I wish I had some good explanation for my behavior but the fact is I don't. So, I'd like to apologize to you for how I behaved in the past and promise you that it will never happen again going forward."

I wanted to look away but I couldn't. His eyes were filled honesty. It was evident by the way he rocked nervously on his feet that he wasn't used to apologizing, and I guessed this was a pretty big deal for him. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, swallowing the lump of nerves in my throat. As much as I wanted to keep putting up the bitch front, I knew we needed to be civilized to one another if we were going to develop a successful working relationship.

"Apology accepted." I butted my cigarette and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him in the direction of my office. "That doesn't mean you're off the hook though. I've dealt with your kind before and I'm pretty good when it comes to seeing through the bullshit. So, let's try not to have any more bullshit, okay? Let's do ourselves both a favor and leave what's already happened in the past behind us. Our focus from here on out is on the future – _your_ future specifically. There's contracts to sign, questions to answer, and I have a conference call at noon that I can't miss."

"Whatever you say boss." He smirked and followed me into the building. One crowded elevator and a brief encounter with an overly excited Alice later, and we were sitting in my office with a dozen documents spread out before us.

"I wasn't able to get you the finished product, but I sweet-talked my publisher out of a manuscript." He slid the thick pile of papers across the table towards me.

"Invest Today, Retire Tomorrow: Financial Stability for Today's Millennials," I read the title out loud. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I couldn't help but smile. I was impressed as I flipped through the pages. There was some good stuff in it and it looked easy enough to market. The fact that he'd tailored the material to his own generation would come in handy down the road, especially with possible book signings and interviews.

"You hate it, don't you?' he blurted out. Mr. Perfect had some closeted insecurities. This discovery both shocked and delighted me.

"I don't hate it. I'm not the author's biggest fan, but the book definitely has potential." I grabbed a few pieces of paper off the table and set them in front of him. "These are the contracts. I didn't even consider that you might want to have them looked over by your attorney, so if you do, I completely understand."

His flipped through the pages quickly, his eyes skimming over the words. He grabbed a pen out of his bag and signed next to the sticky tabs I'd placed on each page before handing them back to me. "No lawyer is needed. I trust you."

"Perfect!" I strode down the hall and made several copies of the contracts. I handed a set to Edward and reached out to shake his hand.

"So, what's next?"

"Well, I'll make some calls this afternoon and see what I can arrange for the TV circuit. Most people get started on that two or three weeks before the book comes out, you know, to generate publicity." I leaned back in my chair and crossed my legs. "I'll talk to a few of my contacts at _Forbes_ , _the Times_ , and _the Journal_ and see if I can arrange for some features. And next week I'll send out a round of press releases to the necessary people."

"Jesus." He looked flustered. "I didn't realize how much work went into all this."

"You have no idea." I stood up. "Leave the work to me and we'll talk on Monday. I'm sure you've got a harem lined up to help you enjoy your weekend."

He was taken aback for a split second, but then chuckled and looked down at his hands. "Harems really aren't my style. I'm more of a spontaneous guy. Routines bore me."

"I almost think a harem would be better in this situation." I looked at the clock and straightened the stack of papers on my desk. "I've got to get on this conference call. I'll be in touch with you on Monday."

He ran his hands through his hair and shoved them in his pockets. "Have a good weekend Bella."

"Try not to contract any _spontaneous_ diseases Edward." He gave me a weird look before shaking his head and leaving. _Try not to contract any spontaneous diseases? How stupid are you?_

I grabbed a bottle of water from my mini-fridge and settled in at my desk. I was good at what I did and I knew it. Edward did too, that's why he came to me for representation.

_Yeah, keep telling yourself that Swan._

As long as I kept up the bitch act he'd continue to be professional.

Or so I hoped.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I looked around the crowded bar anxiously. It was almost nine thirty. They should have been here an hour ago.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Jasper drained the rest of his beer and set the empty bottle down harder than necessary.

He'd asked me this question three times now. I couldn't stop the irritation from seeping into my voice. "Yes I'm sure. Alice said 57th and Park."

"God I hope this doesn't backfire."

I felt bad enough for eavesdropping on Alice's conversation when I was leaving her and Bella's office the day before. Now I felt worse because my best friend was so fucking nervous I feared he might lose his dinner. _And who said I didn't have a conscience?_

"Relax man. I'm sure they got held up at dinner or something. You know how the city is on a Saturday night." I looked around the room again and this time my eyes found Bella. Her group occupied a large table in the front corner.

I nudged Jasper with my elbow and grabbed my drink. "I see them. Let's go." I wove my way through the throng of people and sidled up behind her chair. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Her body stiffened but she didn't turn around. I wasn't sure if this was good or bad, so I pretended not to notice.

"Edward! What are you doing here? Did Bella invite you?" Alice rose from her chair and gave me a hug. She was obviously tipsy. I shook my head and scoffed at the notion that Bella would invite me _anywhere_ , let alone to a bar.

"Bella and I have a purely _professional_ relationship, in case you hadn't heard." She stiffened once more and I had to bite my lip to avoid laughing. "My friend Jasper and I were just having drinks at the bar and I saw your group. Small world, huh?" I introduced Jasper to everyone at the table. It wasn't until I got to Bella that I realized she hadn't come alone.

I stuck my hand out and grinned at the stranger sitting next to her. "I don't believe we've met."

"This is Mike Newton. Mike, meet the oh so un-charming and tactless Edward Cullen." She waved her hand back and forth between us.

"Nice to meet you! Bella has told me so much about you!" I cocked an eyebrow at the back of her head and watched as a blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks.

"All good things, I'm sure." I smirked.

"Would you like to join us? We can squeeze a few more chairs in here," Emmett said, scooting his over. Rosalie and Alice followed suit. I soon found myself sandwiched between Jasper and Bella.

"I hear Bella is representing you now?" Rosalie pulled an olive off the garnish stick in her martini and popped it in her mouth.

"Reluctantly representing me, yes." I elbowed Bella playfully, trying to lighten the mood between us. "She didn't go down without a fight though."

She smirked and glanced at me out the corner of her eye. "I'm not one to back down easily Cullen. Besides, you're a hot commodity. Representing you will open dozens of doors for me."

It never occurred to me that Bella might have ulterior motives of her own in this deal. Two were playing this game and it pissed me off. "Ms. High and Mighty is actually using me for her own professional gain? Who would have thought?" Jasper kicked me hard under the table.

"I really don't think you have any room to judge Mr. I'll-Sleep-With-Anything-With-Two-Legs-And-Tits." Alice's eyes grew wide and Mike shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

I had two options here – I could continue to bicker with her and ruin the evening for everyone else or I could walk away, find my fix for the night, and go home. I decided to take the high road; well, my definition of the high road anyway.

"If you'll excuse me, I believe there's a very attractive creature with two legs and tits eyeing me across the bar." I stood up and straightened the collar on my shirt. "Alice, it was lovely seeing you again. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you in the coming weeks, assuming your partner here chips some of the ice off of that heart of hers. It was nice to meet you Mike. Emmett, Rosalie, take care." She didn't even look up at me. I pushed my chair in roughly and headed towards the men's room. Jasper entered a minute later.

"Dude, what the fuck was that all about? I didn't realize you two were so hostile towards each other! How the hell are you going to work together?"

"I have no idea," I said through clenched teeth. I took a few deep breaths and checked my reflection in the mirror. "I had every intention of being nice to her until she started insulting me. I know I have a reputation, but Jesus what the hell did I ever do to her?" _You tried to hook up with her and sexually harassed her within the first five minutes of meeting her,_ my conscience sang out.

Jasper's shoulders sunk and he ran a hand through his wavy brown hair. "I guess this means we're leaving?"

"No, no, you go back there and get to know Alice. That's why we came tonight, right?" I gave him a weak smile and patted his shoulder. "I'm going to grab a few drinks with that vixen at the bar and head home. "

"Are you sure? As much as I'd love to get to know Alice, you're like a brother to me. I don't want to leave you high and dry."

I smiled at his concern. "I insist. I'll catch up with you at the gym tomorrow." Jasper shrugged and headed back to the bar. I splashed some water on my face, tousled my hair, and unfastened the first two buttons of my shirt. Bella was getting under my skin and I couldn't let her do that. I needed to relax, focus on the bet, and learn to shut my mouth even when she infuriated me.

I walked to the bar and slid onto the stool next to the red headed bombshell. One hour and three drinks later I learned that her name was Leah, she worked in an art gallery downtown, and had a five year old at home. I was a firm believer in giving MILFs the attention they deserved, and when I asked her to come back to my place she gladly accepted.

I paid for our drinks and helped her with her coat. I glanced across the room as I led her to the door. Bella's eyes were glued to me. I couldn't make out the expression on her face, but it almost looked like … jealousy? _Nah_ , I thought to myself. She was probably just judging me some more. I was behaving exactly like she accused me of.

For a moment I felt bad. I pushed the thoughts out of my head and placed my hand on the small of Leah's back.

I took once last glance over my shoulder and watched Bella roll her eyes and turn back towards her table.

 _You're just my publicist, Ms. Swan,_ I thought bitterly. _Besides, you were the one who said it – I'm nothing more than a hot commodity._


	5. Can We Be Friends?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a TON of fun writing this chapter! 
> 
> Chloe Masen busted her ass so to get this edited for me so I could get it posted promptly. As always, THANK YOU my dear for EVERYTHING you do for me. I love you bunches! 
> 
> Edward wanted me to apologize to all those who are flabbergasted by his behavior. He wishes he could stop dropping trou, but he has yet to find a belt that will keep his pants up! ;)
> 
> Reviews/comments are appreciated! I love to hear your thoughts! 
> 
> \- N. 
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

**Bella's POV**

Monday morning came far too quickly. I couldn't stop thinking about Edward and our exchange at the bar on Saturday night. As always, my mouth got the best of me and I ended up looking like a bitch and a half. I'd known by his tone that he was just ribbing me when he first joined our group, but I couldn't stop the word vomit that came pouring out.

" _I'm not one to back down easily, Cullen. Besides, you're a hot commodity. Representing you will open dozens of doors for me."_ I cringed when I thought about how bad that sounded. I made it seem like I was planning on riding his coat tails into New York high society fame when in reality that was not the case at all. Edward was my client now and I had vowed to treat him with the same amount of respect and professionalism I treated all my clients with.

Evidently that detail slipped my mind when I walked into the bar that night.

In the end I just couldn't blame Edward for saying the things he did. I wanted to go after him when he made a beeline for the bathroom, but Jasper was up and out of his chair before I could fully register what had just happened. When Jasper returned to the table alone, I knew I'd missed my chance. Sure enough, Edward was sitting at the bar absorbed in conversation with the woman he had referred to as a "very attractive creature" before he stormed off. I couldn't help but stare as he helped her put her coat on and walked her out the door. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was jealous, and judging from the look on his face he knew that. I wanted to appear unfazed, so I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Emmett's story. Inside, however, I was crushed.

I'd told him on Friday that I'd be in touch Monday to discuss what information I got from the contacts I'd spoken with. It was almost noon and I still hadn't mustered up the courage to pick up the phone. An apology was in order, and though I knew he'd accept it, I didn't know what to say to explain my behavior.

" _You are deliciously attractive, you have an amazing body, and even though you've been nothing but a total dick so far, I've spent the past week fantasizing about you. Please excuse my bitchiness; it's all part of the wall I had to erect to keep myself from trying to jump your bones every time I see you."_ I didn't think that would go over too well.

I took a deep breath and picked up my phone. After three rings I thought I might be in the clear, but he picked up in the middle of the fourth.

"This is Cullen."

Shit. I really was unprepared. "H-hi, hello, this is Bella Swan." _Really Bella? Could you sound any less suave?_

"Ms. Swan, what a treat. I've been waiting all morning for your call." His tone was friendly enough. Maybe this would be easier than I thought.

"The purpose of my call is business, but first I feel that I need to apologize for my behavior on Saturday night. You did nothing to deserve what I said to you and I honestly have no good reasons for having said it." There - it was over.

He was silent for a moment and I was afraid he'd hung up on me. "Are you free for lunch today, Ms. Swan?"

"I could do lunch." I didn't think; I just spoke. _This can't be good._

"Great. I'm only a few blocks from your office. I can have my driver swing by and pick you up. That is if you want to be in the same vehicle as me." He was teasing me again. I guessed that meant I was forgiven.

I bit my lip and pulled at my hair. The Snarky McSass part of me wanted to tell him I was perfectly capable of getting to wherever we were going on my own. The rational part of me, on the other hand, knew I'd been sassy enough already, and that was the part that won. "I'd love to ride with you. I'll head downstairs right now."

"We'll pick you up on 45th," he said, ending the call. I grabbed my purse and denim jacket and headed downstairs. The Lincoln was already parked on the curb when I walked outside.

"Good Morning, Mr. Cullen." I slid into the seat and shut the door behind me.

"Good Morning, Ms. Swan." His green eyes sparkled with humor. I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Enough of the formalities, can we please go back to being Bella and Edward now?" I chewed on my fingernail nervously. "I meant what I said on the phone. I'm really sorry for my behavior on Saturday."

He chuckled and glanced out the window. "Apology accepted, _Bella._ " His green eyes were filled with intensity when he looked back at me. "I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have reacted that way, regardless of what was said."

My stomach buzzed with an unfamiliar sensation. It was then that I realized his looks would be my downfall. I planned on resisting him for as long as possible, but even the strongest of the strong fell eventually.

"Where are we going for lunch?" I blurted out. I had to steer the conversation in a generic direction.

"There's a café in Soho that I like to frequent. I was hoping you'd be willing to try it out." The intense eyes were back.

"I've always enjoyed trying new things," I stammered. I pulled my phone out of my purse and busied myself with checking my emails. We rode the rest of the way in silence, save for the sounds of the busy NYC streets outside.

As hard as I tried not to, I couldn't help but steal the occasional look at him. His eyes were glued to my face for the entire drive. This small fact triggered butterflies in my stomach.

_Calm the hell down Bella. It's just lunch._

A growing part of me wished it was so much more.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

To say I was nervous about this lunch date would be a grave understatement. Shitting my pants with terror was more like it.

Alice gave me her phone number at the bar on Saturday, and even though it was borderline stalkerish, I'd called her first thing Sunday morning and asked her to have dinner with me Monday night. She apologized and said she had plans, but asked me if I would be available for lunch instead. My first thought was I'd make time for her regardless of my own schedule, but the intelligent part of my lust-drunk brain refrained from sharing this piece of information. I had an interview in the early afternoon on the Upper West Side, so we arranged to meet at my friend Laurent's pizza parlor.

Engaging in conversation with Alice on Saturday was easy. Bella, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult to deal with, especially after her and Edward's spat. After ten minutes of assuring her I was nothing like my sex-crazed buddy (which is no lie, it'd been over a year since I'd even seen a woman naked), she finally calmed down and started to act a little less icily towards me. By the end of the night she was pretty toasted, and that's when Bella told me she couldn't believe I was friends with "the green-eyed snake," and that as long as I left him at home I was welcome to come out with her group any time. She also gave Alice and me her blessing, which I saw as a sign that Alice must like me in some way.

"Jasper!" Alice's cheerful voice rang out from the entryway. She stood on her toes and kissed my cheek in greeting. I gave her a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek in return.

"You look lovely, Alice. That color suits you quite well." She wore a maroon colored dress that clung to her curves. Her shoulder length brown hair was combed down to frame her face and her bright blue eyes stood out against her pale skin. Her lipstick was the exact same shade as her dress, which I found to be incredibly arousing.

"Thank you!" She blushed and looked up at me nervously. "Is this place a la carte? I've heard such good things about their food! I can't believe you know the guy who owns it!"

I grabbed her hand and led her to our table. "They bring around different pizzas and appetizer dishes. You pick what you want to try. It's kind of like Italian style dim sum."

"That's so awesome!" I pushed her chair in as she sat down and took the seat opposite her. "Maybe I can talk you into introducing me to the chef someday?"

I glanced over her shoulder and saw Laurent approaching our table. "How about I introduce you to him right now?" Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands excitedly.

"Jasper, my friend!" Laurent leaned down and gave me an awkward, one-armed man hug. "It's been too long since I've seen you in here. Who is this beautiful young lady?" He gave Alice a friendly smile.

"This beautiful young lady is Alice Erickson. Alice, meet the brains behind dim sum pizza, Laurent Giuseppe." She broke out in an ear-to-ear grin and shook his hand eagerly.

"It's my first time coming here, but I've heard such wonderful things! I can't wait to try your creations."

Laurent laughed and shook his head at me. "I see Jasper here has been talking me up again. I can only hope your experience meets your expectations, Ms. Erickson."

"Please, call me Alice." She looked mischievously at me and then back up at Laurent. "And it wasn't Jasper who talked you up, it was a food critic I met at a gala." This time it was Laurent's turn to look giddy.

"I'm afraid if I stay out here much longer my head will get too big to fit through the kitchen door." He winked at me and gave Alice a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be sure to send over something special for the two of you for dessert."

"He seems like quite a nice man," Alice remarked after Laurent was out of earshot. "Is he straight?"

This woman wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind. I liked that. It would be a nice change from the last few women I'd dated. "As a matter of fact he isn't. Where does this curiosity come from, if I may ask?"

"Mike Newton is on the market and I think that the two of them would hit it off perfectly!" Alice's blue eyes radiated excitement. I couldn't stop myself from grinning like a teenager right along with her. One of the waiters came by with a cart full of appetizers. We each grabbed two small plates of food and started eating.

"So, Newton is gay, huh?" This knowledge would be invaluable to Edward. I know he thought Mike might be a potential cock block in this bet of ours. _Maybe I'll keep this secret to myself for a while and let him squirm a bit._

"Where does _this_ curiosity come from, if _I_ may ask?" Alice threw my words back at me playfully.

"Inquiring third party minds would like to know."

Her lips curled up in a knowing smirk and she leaned forward, eager for gossip. "I knew it! Edward Cullen has the hots for Iz, doesn't he?"

I raised my hands in impartial surrender and smirked back. "I plead the fifth. I'm crossing into enemy territory here. My lips are sealed."

"Oh c'mon Jasper, it's so obvious!" Alice nibbled on a breadstick and gazed thoughtfully at me. "You can't tell me it was a coincidence he decided to go with our firm. Nor can you tell me it was sheer luck that the two of you just happened to be at the same bar we were at on Saturday. If anything I've heard about Edward is correct, he doesn't typically put in appearances at places in Chelsea."

I felt the need to defend my best friend, even though I knew a large part of his reputation was deserved. "He's not really as bad as everyone makes him out to be. Believe it or not there is a heart buried somewhere deep down in there. He just does a good job of making it seem otherwise."

"Well, heart or no heart, I'm pretty sure he's after Iz. I've never heard of him going to such great lengths just to be around a woman before. And I know Iz well enough to know that when she adamantly avoids someone, it means she's got a crush on them."

_Yep, definitely withholding this information from Edward. All in the interest of winning this bet, right?_

"As much as I'd love to spend my lunch break dissecting the romantic motivations of our good friends, I'd much rather get to know _you_." Alice blushed as I reached across the table and softly placed my hand on top of hers. "So, Alice, tell me about yourself. Are you a Manhattan native?"

"Rose and I grew up together on the Upper East Side. Our mothers have been friends since before we were even born." I listened intently as Alice entertained me with details about her childhood. She told me about how she and Rose had been going to FAO Schwarz every Christmas since they were five to have their photo taken with Santa, a tradition they continued to carry on to this day. She talked about going to all-girls schools her entire life, and how she'd stole her first kiss from a boy named Tyler outside Dunkin Donuts during her freshman year. She told me about meeting Bella at Harvard and getting her drunk on tequila poppers at a frat party.

"You've been through a lot with those two girls. You've very lucky to have them as friends," I said, referring to Rosalie and Bella. Alice nodded and a hint of nostalgia played on her face.

"You have no idea. I love them both like sisters. I can't imagine being apart from them for an extended period of time, ever." Alice looked at her watch and gasped. "I didn't realize what time it was! I have to meet with a client in twenty minutes."

I flagged a waiter down and handed him my credit card. "Time flies when you're having fun," I teased.

"You do realize you have an advantage over me now." She stood up and moved towards me as the waiter returned with our bill. I signed the credit slip absentmindedly, making sure to leave a generous tip, before standing up myself.

"What advantage is that exactly?"

She poked my chest playfully. "You know everything about me and I know nothing about you!"

I ran my hand down her arm, feeling Alice shiver beneath my touch. "That really isn't fair now is it? How do you feel about dancing?"

She looked confused. "Dancing? Well, I love to dance. Why do you ask?"

"Would you like to go out with me again on Friday? We could go to dinner and then go dancing. Do it up, very old style New York. And, if you're nice, I'll tell you everything you could possibly want to know about me when I walk you home at the end of the evening." All the words came out in a nervous rush. _So much for sounding romantic._

Her eyes twinkled and she smiled shyly. "Jasper Whitlock, are you asking me out on an authentic Manhattan date?"

I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I am."

She pulled back from me and smiled. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were filled with anticipation. "I would love to go out with you on Friday."

I felt like I was floating as I followed her to the restaurant's entrance. Alice Erickson was letting me take her out on the town. I couldn't believe it. Feelings of excitement, happiness, and fear coursed through me, and for the whole thirty seconds it took for us to get outside, it felt like we were the only two people that existed in the world.

"Can I pick you up at seven?" I sounded overly excited, but at that moment I really didn't care.

Alice smiled again. "Seven is perfect. I'll text you my address later this week." She looked at her watch once more and looked up at me. "I really have to go. Thank you for lunch, it was wonderful. I'll be looking forward to Friday." She stood up on her toes and kissed my cheek softly.

"I'll be looking forward to Friday, too." I gave her a small wave, slid my hands in my pockets, and watched her walk off towards the subway.

Alice Erickson was the epitome of perfection. She had it all – she was charming, funny, beautiful, sincere, and she had her quirks, just like me. I couldn't believe she agreed to go out with me again. The whole experience was so surreal.

I gave myself a mental pat on the back and paged my driver. Oh a whim I made a call to my mother's favorite florist and arranged for a bouquet of calla lilies to get delivered to Alice's office on Thursday. The message on the card was cheesy – "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman. Looking forward to tomorrow night." – but I didn't care. I was pulling out all the stops here. I wasn't sure why, but I knew she was worth it.

I slid into the backseat of the Lincoln and rested my head against the cushy leather seat.

 _Here's to the beginning of something amazing_.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I dropped my fork onto the plate in front of me and rubbed my stomach appreciatively. I'd never been disappointed with the food in this place, and as such I always ate a little more than I should. I gave Bella a sheepish grin and let out a soft groan.

"I think I may need someone to roll me out of here." She laughed and shook her head at me.

"You probably should've skipped the cheesecake. I think that might have triggered the onset of a food coma." She sipped her water and eyed me amusedly. Lunch had turned out better than I expected. I thought Bella would be all business, but I was wrong. After our exchange when she first got in the car, her mood lightened immensely and she'd even laughed a few times during the course of our meal. I tried apologizing once more for my behavior on Saturday, but she waved her hand dismissively and told me it was water under the bridge.

Who the hell was I kidding anyway? I wasn't sorry for leaving with another woman. It's who I was and I'd be damned if I apologized for that.

"The cheesecake is my main motivation for coming here." I tossed my napkin on the table, as the waiter appeared to clear our dishes.

"It was quite delicious," she admitted. "Thank you for bringing me here. I'm going to have to come with Alice and Rose sometime. I'm sure they'd both love it."

"You three might as well be joined at the hip," I joked. She smiled and sipped her iced tea.

"I could say the same about you and Jasper. I don't think I've ever seen you out without him."

I grinned at her and ran a hand through my already disheveled hair. "Every guy needs a wingman, Bella. That's rule number one of the dating game."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "The dating game? Do you even date?"

I shrugged. "Rule number two is no dating."

"How can you have a dating game without any dating?" She smirked. "Perhaps a better term for your activities would be 'the fucking game'?"

"Perhaps." I laughed and looked out the café window. "Sometimes I wonder about you, Bella."

"Wonder about me? What's there to wonder about?"

"Your mood swings are reminiscent of someone with bi-polar disorder." She narrowed her eyes and kicked me beneath the table. "I certainly hope you don't regard your contacts like this."

"Oh no, my bi-polar tendencies are reserved specifically for you, Cullen." She reached in her bag and pulled out a manila folder. "Speaking of contacts, I have a couple of things I need to go over with you. That is, if you're finished soap boxing about your fucking game."

I chuckled and steepled my hands beneath my chin. "Consider this the end of my soap boxing – at least for today. I was wondering when you were going to get down to business. I'm all ears."

"The editor-in-chief of _GQ_ called me this morning, which is a huge thing considering I haven't even sent out press releases yet." I felt my throat tighten at the mention of _GQ_. Bella continued. "They want to put you on the cover of their December issue and do a full feature about your book and your 'rise to success' in Manhattan. He said they've been trying to get you on a cover for a few years but you've always refused in the past."

I drummed my fingers against the table nervously. I couldn't step foot in the _GQ_ office. _She_ was one of the art directors for the magazine and I couldn't risk seeing her. There would be terrible repercussions for the both of us.

"I can't do _GQ_." My words came out harsher than I intended. Bella winced and locked eyes with me.

"You can't or you won't? There's a big difference."

"Both, Bella." I sighed. "I have a rather … difficult history with someone who works there and it wouldn't be a good idea to put me in a position where I might have direct contact with her." I looked down at the table, pretending to be concerned with the large crack in the Formica top.

A small smile spread slowly across Bella's face. "Edward Cullen, are you actually concerned with the well-being of another person?" She waved her hand in the air and looked around the room. "Quick, someone bring me a calendar, we need to mark this day!"

"It's not funny…" my voice trailed off and I felt a familiar pang in my chest. The wounds – and the guilt – still felt fresh even after all these years. "No _GQ_. Next topic."

She flipped to the next piece of paper in her stack, her eyes never leaving my face "Okay, no _GQ._ _Forbes_ wants to do a feature, but they wouldn't agree to a cover story until after the book has been on shelves for two to three months. Good Morning America wants to book you as a guest and _The Journal_ agreed to run an interview and an editorial, plus a book review when the finished product is out."

I shook my head in disbelief. People weren't exaggerating when they said Bella was good at what she did. I had no doubt in my mind that she was the best in the industry, at least here in Manhattan.

"You got all of this lined up in the course of one weekend?"

"Friday afternoon, actually." She shrugged like it was no big accomplishment. "I know some people at _Forbes_ and Good Morning America, so those were easy to book. You've been featured in _The Journal_ a zillion times, which made them a pretty easy target for my persuasion. This is just the tip of the iceberg though. You're going to have a very busy schedule for the next six weeks."

Bella reached for the tab, but I grabbed it off the table before she could. "My treat."

"You know, it's usually the publicists who schmooze their clients with meals, not the other way around." She eyed me disapprovingly. "I'm not sure what your plans for Wednesday are, but I have my interview coach scheduled to meet with you and I at my office at three. It might cut into your evening a bit, but I'm sure you can understand the importance of these things."

"Interview coach?"

"He preps clients for television and magazine interviews. Usually a publicist can coach his or her clients fairly well, but seeing as this is a last-minute arrangement and I don't know what your off-limit topics of discussion are, I feel more comfortable using Jenks." She blushed a bit and picked nervously at her fingernails. "Besides, you and I have somewhat of a turbulent history. We haven't exactly gotten off on the right foot, and I'm not sure how comfortable you are with sharing details of your life or career with me. Truthfully, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with hearing said details either."

I leaned down and cocked my head to the side so my eyes met hers. "I will share whatever is necessary for things to go smoothly." She looked away and chewed her lip nervously. I took a deep breath and decided it was time to take a step I'd never taken before – not with a woman, at least. "I have an idea."

"What's that?" She looked up and her expression seemed … hopeful?

"Can we be friends?" My words hung in the air between us. I could tell she was struggling over how to answer. I held my breath, wondering if this was a completely stupid idea. It wasn't that I didn't have friends, because I did, a whole slew of them as a matter of fact. I just didn't have any women in my life that I considered friends. This was new territory for me. The corners of her mouth twitched and she tried to hide her smile.

"Friends, huh? I suppose we could give that a try." She leaned forward and stuck her index finger in my face. "Don't get any ideas though, Cullen. We can be _friends_ and that's it. None of that 'friends-with-benefits' business or whatever you wanna call it." She held her fingers up like quotation marks.

"Don't worry, I have enough of those to keep me busy." I winked and she groaned and rolled her eyes. _Why do you keep bringing that up?_ I asked myself. She clearly thought my behavior was disgusting, and I knew if I wanted any hope of winning this bet I'd need to cut that shit out. _Or at least keep it on the DL when you're with her. Out of sight, out of mind man._

Yeah, right. I was too well known in this town to try and hide anything – especially from someone as smart as Bella. That meant I would have to try and change my behavior, at least until I could get her to say those three simple words, and I could claim the keys to my new house in the Hamptons. Then I could go back to being the old Edward Cullen and pretend that Bella Swan never even existed.

_You idiot, nothing is that simple._

"I think we need to set some ground rules here."

"Ground rules? Do you set rules with all your friends?" I teased.

"No, but none of my other friends are shameless manwhores who have tried to get into my pants on multiple occasions." I smirked and chuckled. Her wit just might be what it took for this friendship to work.

"Point taken. However, in my defense, it was just _one_ time; as in an isolated incident."

She arched an eyebrow and stared at me. "Are you saying you wouldn't try it again, Cullen? Am I no longer worthy of your pants dropping efforts?

"On the contrary, Swan, I couldn't think of anyone more worthy of those efforts. I have a sneaking suspicion it would violate one of the proposed rules, however, and I don't want to break them before you've even made them." She balked and pretended to ignore me.

"Rule number one – no physical contact aside from handshakes. Rule number two – no discussing your bedroom adventures with me. That's what you have Jasper for." She stopped and thought for a few minutes, ticking the rules off on her fingers. "Rule number three – no manwhoring if you come out with us. Friends don't let friends have harems, Cullen, and I'm certainly not going to condone or aid in your raunchy behavior."

"Should I be writing these down?" She reached over and swatted my arm. "I believe you just violated rule number one. Slapping is not a form of handshake, or at least it wasn't when I got up this morning."

She rolled her eyes and continued. "Rule number four – when we're working on publicity for your book, we aren't friends. We're colleagues and I expect you to behave as such. And finally, rule number five…" Her voice trailed off and her cheeks flushed crimson.

"Rule number five…" I encouraged her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and the words came tumbling out.

"No falling in love with me, Cullen. That is not a friendly thing to do, and it would only end badly."

I stifled a grin and did my best to maintain a straight face. "Why, Ms. Swan, I do believe it's _you_ who should be worried about falling in love with _me_. I don't fall in love. Never have and never will." My brain was shouting, " _IT'S A LIE! IT'S A LIE!"_

An awkward silence hung over us. She chewed her lip nervously and resumed picking at her fingers.

"Is that all?" My voice was gentle. She looked up and nodded. I signed the tab and slid my credit card back into my wallet. I had no idea what else to say. "Shall we go?"

"Sure." She grabbed her purse and quickly walked towards the entrance.

"Wait up, I need to page my driver." She turned and looked at me. Her eyes were sad but her mouth lifted in a small smile.

"I think I'm going to take the subway back. I have a few errands to run before I return to the office and it's such a beautiful day out."

"I could come with you," I volunteered. _What the hell are you doing Cullen?_ Now was not the time to start getting soft. _It's for the bet though_ , I argued with myself.

"That's okay, really. I'm sure you have a million things you need to get done and really, I don't want to waste your afternoon dragging you around SoHo." She reached her hand out. I took it in mine and she gave it a stiff shake. "I'll contact the periodicals and the show and let them know what you've decided. I should have the final details for those three by the time I see you on Wednesday, if not sooner."

She dropped my hand and crossed her arms across her chest. It was always this way with her. Everything was fine for a while, it seemed like she was having a genuinely good time, and then BAM! – She closed herself off and the melancholy exterior returned. I didn't know what to make of it.

"Great, that sounds good." The Town Car pulled up and my driver got out. "I'll see you on Wednesday."

"See you on Wednesday." She turned and walked away.

I smiled at my driver, who held the door for me, and got in the car. I wasn't sure what was bothering me more at the moment - the fact that I just couldn't figure her out or the fact that I actually cared enough about her to want to.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

_Edward's hands slid up my shirt, removing it effortlessly. His thumbs rubbed my nipples, making them harder than they already were. I moaned softly and pressed my body against his. I could feel his arousal straining against my stomach, taunting me, daring me to make the next move. His lips found my left nipple and I gasped as he swirled his tongue around it before biting it gently._

" _Is this what you want, Bella? Are you sure you can handle this?" His lips were on mine again and I pushed my tongue into his mouth hungrily. I sucked on his bottom lip and tugged it between my teeth. His hands cupped my ass and he lifted me in the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist and grabbed his hair in my fists. He carried me to the bedroom, gently dropping me on his expansive, plush bed._

" _You should really answer me, sweet sweet Bella." He unzipped my jeans and slid them down my legs slowly. He left a trail of blazing hot kisses from my breasts to my belly button. "How will I ever know what you want if you don't tell me?"_

_He moved lower, pushing my thighs apart and positioning himself between them. His green eyes were hazy with desire, and he looked up at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer his question. I hated how he knew exactly what to do to my body, exactly what words to say to tease me, to make me beg for this._

" _I want you to make me cum, Edward." This ballsy routine was new and unfamiliar to me. I was so close to the edge, however, that I was more than willing to pacify him with some dirty talk if that got me there. "I want you to lick my pussy and make me cum all over that perfect face of yours."_

_He smiled devilishly and slid my panties to the side, pressing his mouth against my clit in a soft kiss. His lips parted and he flicked his tongue across my sensitive skin. My back arched involuntarily and I cried out. He ran his tongue in circles around the little nub before taking it into his mouth and sucking hard._

" _Oh god, Edward!" I screamed, sandwiching his head between my thighs…_

"Mmmm, Edward, please don't stop…" My eyes fluttered open and I blinked several times. My lady parts were practically dancing with delight and my insides were twisted in desire. Disappointment settled in when I realized I was alone in my bed, in the midst of yet another erotic Edward Cullen dream.

I lay back down and closed my eyes. I knew I wouldn't fall back to sleep without relieving myself. My nether region certainly wasn't going to argue.

I took a deep breath and tried to relax, sliding my hand into my pajama shorts, prepared to finish the job that my oh-so-realistic Dreamward had started.

Too bad Edward and I couldn't have such an easy happy ending.


	6. Playing With Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are 16 chapters of this posted over on FFn. I'm currently working on moving them here too. Thanks for your patience! :)
> 
> As always, shout outs to my talented beta, Chloe Masen! 
> 
> \- N. 
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to yours truly.

**Rosalie's POV**

_Ring, Ring._

I opened one eye and looked at my alarm clock. Who the hell would be calling me at six in the morning? I closed my eye and nestled back into my cocoon, hoping whoever it was would just leave me a voicemail. They didn't, however, because no sooner had the ringing stopped than it started right back up again.

I grabbed the phone off my nightstand and, not bothering to look and see who it was, hit answer. "What?"

"Rose? Are you still sleeping?" Bella sounded like she'd had four cups of coffee already. I kicked off the covers and climbed out of bed.

"I was," I hissed. "Hold on a minute." I grabbed my robe off the back of my door and slipped it on quietly. I looked over my shoulder and smiled at the sight. Emmett was curled on his side sleeping soundly. He looked so peaceful and young lying there. My insides melted, and for a brief moment I thought about how wonderful it would be to wake up to his face every morning for eternity.

"Rose, what on earth are you doing?" Bella sounded irritated. I closed the bedroom door softly and made my way to the kitchen.

"I didn't want to wake Emmett. We had a late night last night." I flushed when I thought about all the late nights we'd had in the few short weeks we'd been seeing one another. "If you know what I mean."

I could almost hear Bella rolling her eyes. "I told Edward Cullen I'd be his friend."

"You what?" I busied myself with making coffee.

"I told Edward Cullen I'd be his friend," Bella repeated. She sighed in exasperation and I was pretty sure I could hear her palm colliding with her forehead. "In a moment of weakness I agreed to be friends with him and now I have no fucking idea what to do."

"What's so bad about being friends? You're friends with most of your clients."

"He's not just _any_ client, Rose. He's Edward fucking Cullen for fucks sakes." I took a seat at my breakfast bar and stifled a yawn while Bella continued. "What the hell was I thinking? He can't even go five minutes without talking about sticking his dick in something. How are we supposed to be friends?"

"Bella, take a deep breath, please." I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee and sat back down. "I think you're reading too far into this. He came to you because you do good work, simple as that. He's not the type to go to drastic measures just to get a woman into bed. He's proven that he can have any woman he wants. Besides, you were nothing but attitude with him last weekend and quite frankly, he probably thinks it's easier to call a truce than have to walk on eggshells every time he sees you."

My last sentence may have come out a little too harsh. This was precisely why I encouraged my girls to avoid calling me before the sun was up.

"Do you honestly think he feels that way, Rose?" Bella sounded frantic now.

"You know what I think, Isabella Swan?" I took a sip of my coffee. "I think you have a crush on Mr. Cullen. I've never seen you get so worked up about anyone before, least of all a client."

The silence on the other end of the phone confirmed my suspicions.

"I do _not_ like him. He's the epitome of everything I hate in a man, Rose."

"On the contrary Bella, if you hated him you wouldn't have agreed to be his friend. And if you didn't feel _something_ for him you wouldn't be analyzing this into the ground with me at the ass crack of dawn." I smirked, knowing full well I had her on this one.

Bella sat in silence for a minute before responding. "You've been no help whatsoever, Rose!" I knew Bella was doing her best to sound upset, but her words came out in a high pitched, flustered frenzy.

"Perhaps you'll remember not to call me so early next time," I teased. I heard a muttered string of expletives on the other end of the line followed by an angry huff.

"Perhaps I'll call Alice next time."

I bit my lip to keep my laughter from escaping me. "You know I love you, Izzie." I hadn't used that nickname for her since college. The memories of Harvard brought a smile to my face.

"I know," she said, defeated. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I'll try to get my neuroses on a better schedule moving forward."

"My early morning bitchiness appreciates your efforts." I jumped as I felt a pair of warm arms snake around my waist. Emmett pulled me against his chest and started raining kisses down my cheek and the side of my neck. "Uh, Bella, I have to go. Emmett just woke up." I giggled as he nibbled on my earlobe.

"Oh my god, gross. My eardrums would appreciate it if you could refrain from beginning your sexual escapades while we're on the phone." I was willing to bet Bella was blushing profusely on the other end of the line. "I'll text you later, Rose."

"Bye Bella! And don't spend your whole day fretting!" I ended the call and slid the phone across the kitchen counter. Emmett spun me around and his lips met mine in a hungry kiss.

"Good morning." He smiled against my lips and pushed his hips into me. His erection pressed against my thigh, shielded only by his pajama bottoms.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my tongue along his jaw. "It certainly feels like a good morning." He put his hands on my hips and walked me backwards until I was leaning up against the back of the couch. He untied my robe and pushed it to the floor, leaving me naked before him. His mouth went straight to one of my nipples, and he sucked gently on it.

I hung my head back and a soft moan escaped my lips.

Now _this_ was worth getting up early for.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

It wasn't even noon and I'd already run out of things to do in my office. I was so irritated by the conversation I'd had with Rose this morning that I went into work two hours early and hammered everything out in record speed. I'd even managed to map out the beginnings of a plan I'd come up with to help bring lots of publicity to both Edward and his book. It would involve about a two-month time commitment from him and quite a bit of travel for the both of us, but I had a feeling he would be beyond excited if I could pull it off. I intended on keeping the details to myself until everything was set in stone, and unveiling the news at his book release party so he could celebrate with his family and friends present.

I leaned back in my chair and stared out my office window distractedly. I'd spent a good portion of my morning trying to decide if I really did have feelings for Edward. Rose had a way with words, and her comments on the phone earlier served as a healthy dose of reality. She was right, I'd never ever worried so much about what a client thought of me or why a client had chosen me, and I'd certainly never spent so much time dissecting every interaction I had with one. Of course I'd also never had a client as good looking as Edward, and that made it even harder for me to banish him from my thoughts. At about ten o'clock I came to the conclusion that I did, in fact, have some feelings for him, though I wasn't quite sure what or how intense they were. It was bad enough to have to acknowledge that I might actually like the guy. The last thing I wanted to admit was that a part of me – and I didn't know how big that part was just yet – might want to make some haphazard attempt to actually _be_ with him in some form.

The absurd part of the situation was that I knew what Edward's reputation was and I'd gotten to experience it first hand at the Guggenheim only a few short weeks ago. I knew how much of a pig he could be when he wanted, and that he felt some twisted sense of pride when it came to his attitude towards women. Years ago my mother had taught me that it isn't a woman's job to change a man, and up until now I hadn't been dumb enough to fathom trying. Now there was this small voice in the back of my mind that kept pushing me forward, telling me that my mere presence in Edward's life might serve as enough of a catalyst for him to change on his own.

Holy shit was I being foolish.

"Knock knock." Startled out of my daydream, I flipped forward abruptly in my chair and banged my knee hard against the windowsill.

"Shit!" I cried out, not caring who heard me. I rubbed my knee and spun around angrily. Edward stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with concern and his hand poised to knock on my open door. My expression softened and my mood brightened as soon as I laid eyes on him.

"I'm so sorry Bella, I had no idea you were spaced out." He came around the side of my desk and dropped to his knees in front of me. His hand massaged my leg, where a deep red mark that would eventually be a gnarly looking bruise was already starting to form. A zing of electricity hummed through my leg, causing me to jump involuntarily. His hand fell to his side and he stood up quickly, adjusting his tie and blushing a bit.

"It's no problem, I should probably be mindful of the fact that I'm in my office." I was flustered and had no idea what to say, so I busied myself with organizing the pens in the cup on my desk.

He draped his suit jacket over the arm of the chair across from me and took a seat. I hadn't noticed the plastic bag he was carrying until he set it down on the edge of my desk. "I brought lunch. I hope you like Chinese."

"Do you ever work?" I teased. He smirked and began removing take out containers from the bag.

"Only when I have to." His green eyes twinkled and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. It was nice to not start things off with an argument. "I had a dentist appointment early this morning, followed by a meeting with my publisher, so I figured it couldn't hurt to drop in and pay a visit to my publicist as well."

I took a plate from him as he dished up our lunch. "You know, you should probably stop feeding me so often. I might get used to it."

"I thought I should butter you up today," he grinned and popped a piece of sweet and sour chicken into his mouth. "It came to my attention last night that I have a book coming out in six weeks and I have nothing ironed out for a release party."

"We're on the same wavelength today, Cullen. I was just thinking about this little fact on my way in this morning." I chewed my food thoughtfully. "Have you thought about where you want to have it or who you want to be there?"

"I was thinking the Living Room at the W in Times Square. I don't want anything big. I have a potential guest list I prepared, consisting mostly of just close friends and family, and a few of my colleagues." He pulled a folded up piece of notebook paper out of his pocket and slid it across the desk towards me.

I opened it up and glanced over the names. "This is very classy, by the way," I said, referring to the wrinkled sheet of paper. "I'm impressed, there's only 50 people on here."

"I don't want it to be a spectacle." He looked down at his hands nervously. "I've never done anything like this before. Sure, my name shows up around town, but this is the first time I've ever had to think about throwing a 'formal' party in honor of something I accomplished. I don't want to turn it into a big dog and pony show. I want it to be special, something I can share with a select few people before it becomes property of the outside world."

My mouth dropped open in surprise. I never expected to hear something so sentimental coming from Edward.

"Don't hide your shock or anything," he laughed uneasily.

I could feel myself blushing. "I'm sorry, I guess you just caught me off guard with that one. I was expecting you to want something bigger and flashier."

"That's the Edward Cullen this city has made me out to be." He pushed his plate of food away, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "If it were up to me I don't think I'd even have a party."

"It is up to you," I pointed out. "If you don't want a party all you have to do is say so. It's entirely your choice."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "No, no, I'll do the party. Esme would be bummed out if I didn't. She's so proud of me and of the book." His cheeks flushed red for a brief moment. "I just don't want to hype this thing up and then have it totally flop when it's released."

I felt my jaw start to drop again but I closed it quickly. _So that's the underlying issue here_ , I thought to myself. Edward Cullen was insecure about his writing capabilities.

"It's not going to flop," I said softly. "The parts I read were great. It's going to be a hit with our generation, I'm almost sure of it."

Edward's expression brightened. "It means a lot to hear that."

We spent the next hour ironing out the details of the book release. I told Edward I'd contact the W that afternoon to get everything booked. The party was scheduled for November 29, the day Edward's book came out. I was given the reigns when it came to designing the invitations and choosing the menu for the party. I even persuaded Edward to let me invite a few members of the media so he could get a small amount of exposure, despite the fact that he wanted it to be a private event.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but your one o'clock is here, Bella." Alice stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. I looked at the clock and cursed under my breath. Edward had been here for almost two hours.

"Thank you Alice! Edward and I were just finishing up!" Alice shook her head and winked at me before retreating to her own office.

Edward stood up and grabbed his suit coat. "I'm sorry I kept you so long! I hope your next client isn't too upset with the delay."

"It's only five minutes." I waved my hand in the air dismissively. "One more thing before you go. _Forbes_ wants to interview you next Friday. The editor I spoke to said the feature would run in their December issue. You're also scheduled for Good Morning America on November 17."

"Wow, thank you, Bella." He started to put his arm around me in a hug but through twice and pulled back. "Professionalism in the office, I know." I chuckled and shook my head.

"Alright Cullen, scoot!" I shooed him into the hallway and towards the elevators, while I greeted my next client.

The bounce in my step wouldn't go unnoticed by Alice.

And the fact that after Edward's visit I'd all but forgotten my anxieties from this morning definitely didn't go unnoticed by me.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I slid into the passenger seat of Jasper's SUV that night feeling better than I had in weeks. Despite my anxiety, I was excited for the interview next week and looking forward to seeing what Bella came up with for the book release party. I hadn't even known her for a month and I had complete faith in her abilities and judgment. It didn't hurt that my mom did nothing but sing praises about her and Alice's firm, but after being around Bella the few times I had, I could tell she had a gift for what she did.

This, of course, would work to my advantage as far as the bet was concerned, too. I could already tell Bella was starting to slowly but surely warm up to me. I'd dropped my bait and hook and she eagerly accepted it when she agreed to try being friends. Now I could start working on reeling her in and eventually I'd have the trophy girl on my arm (even if only for a short amount of time) and the keys to the Hamptons house in my hands. Then I could let her go, and I would be free to return to my bachelor lifestyle while she would be free to start hating my guts again.

A small ting of guilt resonated somewhere deep in my chest, but I pushed the feeling away and cleared my head. I lived with no regrets and I didn't allow myself to feel guilt in regards to any of my actions.

 _Except your actions with Jessica._ I winced at the thought of her name. One would think that after all these years the pain would subside. It hadn't.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Jasper's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked over at him and saw the smug expression on his face.

"I have no idea what you're referring to," I answered honestly. He pulled a rolled up newspaper out of his coat pocket and tossed it at me. I recognized the trashy tabloid immediately.

"Oh god," I groaned. I flipped to the page he had earmarked and looked down at the article: **"BELLA SWAN AND EDWARD CULLEN: SOHO LUNCH BUDDIES OR SOMETHING MORE?"** There was a photo of Bella and I having lunch beneath the headline.

Jasper roared with laughter as he pointed the truck in the direction of my parent's house. "I'm going to guess you're just SoHo lunch buddies?" I nodded and read the article.

_Looks like we were right after all about Bella Swan's itch for Edward Cullen. Just yesterday the two were spotted having lunch at a small café in SoHo. Our sources say the duo looked pretty homey together, laughing at inside jokes, sharing a piece of cheesecake, and gazing romantically at each other._

_Perhaps someone slipped something in Cullen's water? All we can say is Bella better look out; leopards don't change their spots, and Edward's spots spell "PLAYER."_

"Sharing a piece of cheesecake? I let her have a bite, for fucks sakes. I raved about it so much throughout lunch that she wanted to try it." I tossed the paper on the floor by my feet and ran a hand through my hair.

"So you two _did_ go to lunch together?" Jasper was prying for information and I wasn't in the mood to divulge any.

"Keep reading the tabloids and you'll find out!" I muttered sarcastically. I thought about changing the subject, but I didn't have to. We entered Cobble Hill and were soon parked in front of my parents' house.

"Edward! Jasper!" My mother, Esme, had the door open before we were even up the front steps. "It's so good to see you both! I've missed you!" She enveloped us each in a hug before ushering us into the foyer. My father, Carlisle, stood at the bottom of the staircase, shaking his head in amusement.

"Good lord Esme, you'd think you hadn't seen them in years."

"Oh hush!" She swatted Carlisle's arm playfully and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "It feels like it's been years! Now that these two made names for themselves in the big city they don't have time for poor old mom anymore."

"You see them every week sweetheart." Carlisle rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in exasperation.

I held my chest in mock pain. "Ouch Mom, that hurts!" She fluffed my hair playfully before leading us to the kitchen.

Dinner at my parents' house had become a weekly tradition since I left for college. Every Tuesday, Jasper and I headed down to Brooklyn to enjoy one of Esme's home cooked meals and visit with my parents. I knew this was the highlight of Esme's week, especially when Carlisle was gone on business trips. Jasper's parents would usually join us if they were in town as well.

Tonight, Esme had prepared teriyaki tuna steaks with asparagus and fingerling potatoes. Everything was delicious, as always, and I took my time eating, wanting to savor every taste.

"Did Edward tell you who is representing him these days?" Jasper asked between bites. Carlisle looked up in surprise.

"Representing you? Are you in some sort of legal trouble?"

I laughed. "No, nothing like that dad. I hired a publicist to help with all of this book hoopla."

"Edward, that's so great!" Esme gushed. "Which firm did you decide to go with?"

Jasper took it upon himself to answer for me. "He's working with Alice Erickson's partner, Bella Swan."

Esme's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful news, Edward! Those two women are delightful _and_ good at what they do. You're in good hands."

"You should see everything Bella has done for me already, and it's only been a week since I hired her." I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"We're so proud of you, Edward." Carlisle raised his glass in a toast. "To Edward and his book." The others joined in and we clinked our glasses together.

"What made you decide to work with Bella? Do you know others who have worked with her specifically?" Esme asked.

"Well, um, I knew that you had used the firm before, and I did a little research online and saw some great things." I lied. _At least I'm keeping my stories straight across the board._

"I've only dealt directly with Alice, but I know the Crowleys have worked with Bella before and they had nothing but adoring things to say about her." Esme poured a bit more wine in all our glasses.

"Speaking of Alice Erickson, did Jasper tell you he went on a date with her, Mom?" I desperately needed to get the conversation off of me. My mom had an incredible knack for uncovering things I tried to hide, and the last thing I needed was for her to catch wind of the bet. Then she'd tell Alice and Alice would tell Bella and everything would blow up in my face.

"No, he most certainly did not!" Esme reached across the table and slapped Jasper's hand. "How did you two get hooked up?"

"Well, as it so happens, Edward here is trying to get with Bella." I was going to kill Jasper when we left. "He worked his magic to get me an introduction to Alice and everything went from there."

I thought Esme was going to spontaneously combust. "Bella? That's such a coincidence!" Jasper, Carlisle, and I stared at her with confused expressions. "When Alice did our Hamptons party a few years back, I was going to try to set you and Bella up. The poor thing had just gone through a really difficult breakup several months earlier though, so I left well enough alone. And you were still upset over everything that happened with-"

I cut her off. "Mom, please don't say her name." I took a sip of my water and tried to reign in my impending irritation. "And I'm not trying to _get with_ anyone. Bella and I have a purely professional relationship."

Esme squeezed my arm and smiled sadly. "Liking someone isn't anything to be ashamed of, Edward. You don't have to hide anything from your father and I. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you Mom, I appreciate that, I really do. Bella and I are nothing more than publicist and client, however, so please don't say anything to Alice if you talk to her."

I kicked Jasper hard beneath the table, causing him to wince and choke on his tuna steak. Esme nodded in silent agreement and the four of us went back to eating. After dinner I stepped out on the patio to smoke a cigarette while Jasper helped my mom clear the table and get the dishes started.

"Still partaking in that disgusting habit?" My father joined me on the patio, closing the door gently behind him.

"Only when I'm stressed." I took a drag and blew a long stream of smoke out into the night sky.

"Edward…" Carlisle's voice trailed off as he thought about what to say. He sighed and put his hand on my shoulder. "You really do deserve to be happy. I sincerely hope you stop denying yourself of that someday."

I took a deep breath and butted my cigarette in the damp grass. "Thanks Dad. I hope so too."

_If only it could be that easy._


	7. A Fine Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a whole lot to say at the beginning of this one! Thanks a million to Chloe Masen, as always, for exercising her superb beta skills. Someday I'll show up at your doorstep with Rob and to show my appreciation. Hehe. ;)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. RL places mentioned in the fic belong to their rightful owners, and unfortunately Back to the Future does not belong to me either, as much as I love that freaking movie. Everything else is mine!

**Alice's POV**

I spent approximately four hours on Wednesday afternoon picking through my clothes, trying to decide what I was going to wear for my big night on the town with Jasper. I wasn't satisfied with anything in my closet, so I decided a trip to Saks Fifth Avenue was in order. Two hours and one large charge receipt later, I had secured five new outfits, one of which was destined to be the one I wore on Friday night.

By Thursday evening I had everything in place for my first date wardrobe. I tried not to think too much about what may happen, but I couldn't help daydreaming about possible outcomes when I went to bed that evening. Friday went by slower than I thought possible, and as soon as four o'clock rolled around I was out of my office and on the subway, eager to get home and get ready.

I wasn't sure where Jasper was planning on taking me for dinner, but I assumed it was going to be someplace nice, especially if we really were going out dancing after. He struck me as the type of man who would pull out all the stops for a girl he liked, and I had a feeling that he really liked me. Or at least I _hoped_ he really liked me, because at this point I could honestly say that I really liked him.

I decided to go with a simple yet elegant little black dress I'd purchased on Wednesday. It fell to about two inches above my knee and had long sleeves that were ruffled at the end. I blow dried my hair so it was straight and framed my face, and applied some eyeliner, mascara, and a light coat of lip gloss. At seven o'clock on the nose my buzzer went off.

"I'm coming down!" I said into the intercom. I grabbed my purse, made sure to turn off all the lights, and waited impatiently for the elevator. When I got to the lobby, Jasper was engaged in a friendly conversation with the doorman.

"There's always next season." Marcus turned to face me and smiled. "Ms. Erickson, you look lovely this evening. Your friend here was just discussing the Yankees with me."

"Well I'm glad he intercepted you for that conversation Marcus, because I don't know anything about baseball." I smiled at Jasper and held out my hand. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely." Jasper took my hand and smiled at Marcus. "It was nice talking to you. I look forward to many more door-side baseball chats in the future."

"Likewise." Marcus held the door open and I followed Jasper out into the night. A black Lincoln was parked at the curb, and the driver had the door open and ready for us.

"After you." Jasper gestured towards the car and I slid into the backseat. He walked around to the other side and got in next to me, taking my hand in his as soon as he was seated. "You look stunning, by the way."

"Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself." I reached out and adjusted the collar of his shirt, allowing my fingers to graze his chest when I pulled my hand away. "Is our destination a surprise or can you give me a hint?"

"I thought we'd start with a nice dinner at Gilt and then head to this dance hall down in Brooklyn that my parents like to go to." Jasper looked at me and grinned. "It might be a little _too_ far to walk you home after, but I do believe you'll have plenty of time to pick my brain on the drive back."

I laughed and felt a wave of relief wash over me. Jasper was quite easy to be around, which was a nice change from guys I'd dated in the past. The fact that he was gorgeous didn't hurt anything either. The car eased to a stop as we reached our destination. I followed Jasper to our table and took in my surroundings. The restaurant had a modern but elegant vibe to it, and within minutes Jasper had ordered us a bottle of Pinot Noir.

"I'd like to propose a toast." Jasper raised his glass in the air and smiled shyly at me. "To New York nights and new experiences."

I clinked my glass against his and took a sip of my wine. "I think it's only fair that I get to start picking your brain here at dinner. What do you say?"

He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on the top of the table. "Ask away, Ms. Erickson."

"Where are you from?"

"Brooklyn," he answered quickly. "The Cobble Hill neighborhood, to be exact."

"Cobble Hill, huh? That's a pretty nice area." I speared a piece of lettuce from my salad and chewed it carefully. "How do you know Edward?"

"We grew up next door to one another. We've been best friends for as long as I can remember, much like you and Rosalie."

I ran my finger around the rim of my wine glass, trying to think of how to phrase my next sentence. "I take it that old saying 'birds of a feather flock together' doesn't really apply to the two of you then? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure Edward is a nice guy once you get to know him and all, but you're nothing like him. I can't begin to understand how the two of you have stayed friends this long."

Jasper played with his fork and appeared lost in thought. "Edward used to be … different. He wasn't always this successful, arrogant monster." Jasper chuckled as he remembered how his best friend used to be. "Surprisingly enough, he was a lot like me back when we were in college. Then he got involved with this girl and it turned into a crazy roller coaster ride relationship that left him permanently jaded."

I couldn't stop the tug of compassion that pulled at my heart. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make any assumptions." The waiter brought our entrees and the conversation halted for a moment.

"You don't have to apologize, Alice." Jasper reached over and took my hand in his, running his thumb across my knuckles. "I love Edward like he's my brother, but quite frankly, he made his bed after grad school, and he hasn't done anything to change what people think of him."

"Enough about Edward." I took a bite of my tuna steak, savoring the way it tasted. "Where did you go to college? What was your major? What's your job now?"

"Slow down, hot shot," he joked. "I went to New York University and majored in journalism. I work for _the Journal_ right now, as a features editor."

"An editor? Wow! That's a big accomplishment for being so young."

Jasper blushed and shrugged. "I like what I do, which makes it easier for me to strive to be good at it. Besides, it's nothing compared to what you and Bella are doing right now. Running your own PR firm before you're even 30? That's so awesome!"

I beamed with pride. "I don't know what I'd do without that woman. I'm happy she decided to stay in Manhattan and work with me instead of jetting off to Chicago like she considered."

"What was in Chicago?"

I paused, debating whether or not I should tell him anything. Bella's story was hers to share, and I knew she'd kill me if any of what I said got back to Edward. Then again, Jasper didn't strike me as the type to engage in gossip at someone else's expense. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I trust that you'll keep it between us. Four years ago Bella got involved with a guy named Ben. He was a musician, a very charming man, and he treated her like a princess. He moved in with her after a year and things stayed good for about another year after that. Right when our firm started to take off, he asked her to move to Chicago with him. She told him she needed time to think about things, and he got really angry with her and gave her an ultimatum. She chose New York."

"Wow, that's awful." Jasper handed the waiter his credit card and drained the rest of his wine. "She must have been devastated."

I nodded, remembering the weeks and months following Ben's departure. "It tore her apart. She hasn't been with anyone since. Sometimes I worry that she'll never be with anyone again."

Jasper stood and helped me with my coat. He grabbed my hand and I followed him out into the New York night. "My lips are sealed about this. It's our little secret." Once we were seated in the back of the Lincoln, he turned and looked at me. "Edward's college girlfriend was named Jessica. Jessica Stanley. Now you have a tidbit of secret information from me too."

I leaned over and pressed my lips against his cheek. Jasper was a good guy.

I said a silent "thank you" to the powers that be above for dropping this amazing man in my lap. In addition to many more door-side baseball chats with Marcus, I hoped that Jasper was looking forward to many more New York nights with me.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I'd been staring at the wall for forty-five minutes when I decided to make the call. My palms were sweaty, my knees were shaking, and for reasons unclear to me, my heart was racing. But, it was eight thirty on a Friday night and I wasn't about to spend the rest of the evening sitting at home alone.

I dialed his number and waited while it rang. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until he answered. "This is Cullen."

"Edward, hi, it's Bella." My words came out in one big jumbled whoosh.

"Bella Swan, calling me on a Friday night? I do believe this day needs to be marked on the calendar!" He did nothing to mask the smugness in his voice. I rolled my eyes and contemplated hanging up.

"Edward Cullen acting like an arrogant bastard? I do believe this is an everyday occurrence."

"I wouldn't want to disappoint you, my dear publicist." I could hear noises in the background, but they lowered in volume after he spoke, and I assumed it was the television. "To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

I'd rehearsed what I was going to say twenty times before calling him, but now that we were on the phone I found myself at a loss. "I was just wondering what you were doing."

"For the first time in a long time I'm doing absolutely nothing. Your friend Alice kidnapped my partner in crime, leaving me with no plans for the evening."

I'd completely forgotten about Alice's date. I made a mental note to call her first thing tomorrow morning to find out how it went. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"I had a late lunch at the office, but I could go for something of sustenance right about now. Have _you_ had dinner yet?" The smugness left his tone and I swear he sounded almost apprehensive.

"Nope, I can't say I have. Do you want to go grab some grub?"

Just like that the smugness returned. "Bella Swan, are you asking me on a date?"

My cheeks flamed with embarrassment. _Thank God he can't see me!_ "I'm asking you to go eat dinner with me, Edward. Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Thanks for the clarification, _Bella_." His voice oozed sarcasm. "And for the record, I wear boxer briefs, and believe me, they aren't in a twist."

"I'll keep that in mind. Should we meet somewhere or…?" My voice trailed off.

"Give me your address and I'll pick you up."

I gave him my address and he said he'd be over in a half hour. I rummaged through my clothes, settling on a pair of dark wash, distressed skinny jeans and a three quarter length sleeved royal blue shirt. I slipped my feet into a pair of ballerina flats and grabbed my coat out of the closet. I smoked half a cigarette before the Lincoln pulled up.

"Nice shirt," Edward remarked when I got in. He looked amazing as always. His hair was gelled up in a messy style, he had a thin layer of stubble coating his chin, and his button-up shirt was open just enough at the top that a few stray pieces of chest hair poked out.

"Thank you." I shifted awkwardly, placing my coat on the seat next to me. "And thank you for coming out with me. I was bored out of my mind at home."

"Likewise." His green eyes bored into the side of my head, but I refused to look over at him. I was starting to learn my own triggers, and I knew that if I looked into his eyes the night would be over for me before it even began.

"Does Bond 45 work for you? Jasper and I usually go there every Friday." He continued to stare at me until I was finally forced to look at him.

"Bond 45 sounds great. I've never been there before."

The driver dropped us off in front of the restaurant. Edward held the door for me and placed his hand on the small of my back when we were inside. I shivered beneath his touch and he smirked, fully aware of the power he had over women.

"Edward, I was wondering where you were!" The host shook his hand and led us to a table. "Who is this beautiful lady? I assume she must be someone special if you're arriving _with_ her?"

Edward looked nervous. I felt nauseated. "This is my publicist, Bella Swan."

"Be thankful you're his publicist and not part of the rotation," the host whispered just loud enough for Edward to hear. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.

"Thank you for seating us, Billy. I think we'll be fine from here." Edward did nothing to hide the irritation in his voice. Billy winked at me before heading back to the podium at the front of the restaurant.

"That was sufficiently awkward." I buried my face in the menu, wishing I could snap my fingers and disappear.

"I'm sorry about that." Edward ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. "I've never come here with anyone but Jasper."

"It would seem you've left with plenty of women though."

"Bella…" Edward began but the waiter's arrival cut him short. I ordered a Belvedere on the rocks. I had a feeling I was going to need it to get through the night. _You should have stayed home, foolish girl._

"A bit of advice from one _friend_ to another." My words dripped with sarcasm. "If you expect anyone to take you seriously when you're published, you should consider acting like an adult instead of like a hormonal teenage boy."

Edward looked like I'd slapped him. I tipped my drink back, draining half of it in one swig. The alcohol burned my throat but it also numbed me, which is what I was hoping for.

"Point taken," he said slowly. He tore at the label on his bottle of beer, avoiding my eyes. "We should have gone somewhere else. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your evening."

"I entered into this partnership knowing perfectly well how you are." I swallowed the rest of my cocktail and signaled to the waiter for another one. "I just don't want to get swallowed up in your charade. I've spent the last eight years working to make a name for myself in this city – a _respectable_ name, and so far I've succeeded. You may not mind being known as a womanizer, but _I_ mind being mingled in with your harem."

Edward sat in stunned silence staring at the table. I worried that he might get up and leave but eventually he looked up at me and chuckled softly. "You could never be a part of my 'harem,' Bella. You're far too good of a woman for that."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I dug into my pasta furiously. The vodka was doing the trick, leaving me feeling somewhat carefree despite the direction our conversation had taken. "In the interest of not making this a ridiculously depressing evening, tell me something about you that nobody else knows."

He smiled, clearly relieved by my change of topic. "I get a pedicure every month."

I covered my mouth and giggled. "Pedicures? Seriously? I'd keep that a secret too if I was you!"

"Hey, give me a break. They're nice." He pointed his fork at me. "I'm sure you and your girlfriends get them all the time."

"I believe the keyword in that sentence is 'girl.'" I could tease Edward all day long. _It's certainly better than arguing with him._

"Laugh at me all you want Swan, you'll never hurt my pride. Now, I think it's only fair that you tell me something about yourself that nobody knows."

I thought hard. "That's a tough one. I don't know if there's anything I haven't told Rose or Alice."

"C'mon Bella, there has to be _something_." I didn't know if it was the vodka or his smoldering eyes, but my insides were quickly turning to mush.

I leaned across the table and whispered. "My boobs have names."

"Is that so?" His lopsided grin was infectious. I burst into laughter.

"Oh yes." I laughed even harder.

"You can't just drop a bomb like that and not tell me more." Edward pushed his plate away and leaned forward on his elbows, resting his chin on his hands.

"Are you ready for this?" He nodded eagerly. "The left one is Twin and the right one is Rocky." This time it was Edward who burst out laughing.

"That's completely fucked up, but completely hot at the same time," he choked out between laughs.

I shrugged and grinned sheepishly. Yep, the vodka was definitely kicking in."The fact that you're the _only_ person who now knows that should make it all that much hotter."

"Believe me, it does." He leaned even closer to me, lowering his voice to a seductive, sugary sweet whisper. "Maybe someday I'll be lucky enough to get a formal introduction."

The vodka was controlling my mouth by this point. "You won't need luck if you can learn to behave yourself for five minutes."

"Does that countdown start now?" He made a show of looking at his watch.

I shook my head no and smiled wickedly. "We'll still be sitting here in five minutes and I hardly think this establishment is the place for an introduction of that sort."

"Good point." He stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I guess I have something to look forward to then."

"I guess you do." The semi-sober fraction of my brain was screaming what an idiot I was. The vodka-soaked part, on the other hand, was lighting a full-blown mischief fire under my ass.

"Since we're having a friendly conversation, maybe you could enlighten me on your past?"

"Where to begin?" I asked rhetorically. "I grew up in Forks, Washington. It's about three hours west of Seattle, close to Olympic National Park. I moved to Boston as soon as I graduated high school and went to Harvard, which is where I met Alice and Rose."

"What do your parents do?" His curiosity seemed genuine, which was enough encouragement for me to continue.

"My dad used to be a police officer, but he retired from the force a few years back. Now he works part-time as a private detective for an insurance agency. My mom does interior design work." The waiter brought our check and I fished out my wallet. Edward wrapped his fingers around my wrist gently, handing the waiter a large bill instead.

"Dinner is on me. It's the least I can do for making you so uncomfortable earlier." He let go of my arm, but my skin continued to hum with an electricity I'd never felt before.

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"What made you want to cross the country for college?" He resumed his questioning, not missing a beat.

"I guess you could say I was curious." I smiled, remembering how excited I was when I got my acceptance letter for Harvard. "I'd never traveled anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest and the east coast always intrigued me. Then there was the whole wanting to get as far away from home as possible element. Plus Harvard is an amazing school, obviously, so it was hard to pass up once I got in."

"I bet your parents are proud. Not everyone can say they have an Ivy League graduate for a daughter." I blushed at his compliment.

"I think they are." I looked at my cell and back at Edward. "I've kept you out for a while. Should we get going?"

"I have no plans tonight, but if you're ready to leave we can certainly head out." Edward stood up and put on his coat. I did the same and followed him out to the car.

"I know you grew up here in the city, and thanks to Alice I'm familiar with your parents' work, but what about your college experience?" There was so much I had yet to learn about him. _You might as well ask away since you've already started divulging your secrets,_ my sober brain chided.

"I got my bachelor's at NYU and my master's at Columbia."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "A fellow Ivy Leaguer. I can't say I'm surprised though, I wouldn't expect any less from you."

He chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"All your schooling is in finance, I'm guessing?" He nodded.

"Business with a finance concentration, yes. I also have a minor in Italian, which comes as a surprise to some people. I contemplated doing some post-graduate work in Europe at one point but it just didn't pan out."

"Italian, huh? You'll have to teach me how to say something clever someday." The car came to a stop in front of my brownstone. I shifted nervously in my seat and reached for the door handle. He grabbed my wrist, pulling my body back towards him.

"Bella." No sooner had he said my name than his lips crashed against mine in a fiery kiss. My sober brain was standing straight up, flailing its arms and screaming, 'STOP! STOP!' Vodka brain was still in control, however, and I kissed him back hungrily, digging my fingers into his messy hair and pulling at it roughly.

"Mmm," I moaned against his mouth as his hands inched up my shirt. His fingertips skirted across my stomach, sending a wave of shivers down my spine. I, Isabella Swan, was kissing Edward Cullen. I'd been fantasizing about this moment for weeks. His touch was more amazing than I'd ever imagined. _I could get used to being in his arms,_ I thought as my hands traveled to his belt.

It was right about then that sober brain managed to knock vodka brain out and take control. I broke the kiss, pulling away from him and shaking my head. All the hard work I'd put into resisting his charms was ruined thanks to one instance of bad judgment on my part.

"I have to go." I opened the car door and bolted, closing it harder than necessary before running up the stairs and inside my building. I leaned against the wall and hunched over, taking deep breaths and resting my palms on my knees. A wave of nausea swept over me and I fumbled with my keys, making it to the bathroom just in time.

This was why I didn't drink hard liquor. This was why I didn't put myself in situations that would leave me feeling flustered and confused and, well … sick. One kiss and a PG-rated grope from Edward and I was in the toilet yakking my brains out. That should serve as a sign of some sort, right?

I leaned my head against the cool tiles of the bathroom floor and closed my eyes.

This was exactly why I could never let anything more than a friendship develop between Edward Cullen and I.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I ran my finger over my mouth as I watched her retreat into the building.

The kiss was brief, but it rocked me nonetheless. My lips tingled and my body craved more of her touch.

I waved my hand forward, signaling for the driver to continue on. I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes.

My words were audible to no one but me.

"Bella Swan, you might be the one to break me."

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

Alice tipped her head back and laughed at my lame joke. We were nearing her apartment, which meant our date was coming to a close, and that was a disappointment in and of itself. Of course I'd already agreed to accompany her, Bella, and Rosalie to Emmett's newest Broadway gem next weekend, so date number two was on the books.

The evening had gone off without a hitch. We'd danced until the place closed down, sneaking off in between songs to enjoy another bottle of wine. I told Alice everything she wanted to know about me, all the way from childhood to the present, and she seemed to approve of all that I said. In turn she'd told me a bit more about herself, providing me with small glimpses of the intelligent, witty, and complex woman she was beneath the surface.

"This is my stop." Alice laughed nervously. "Of course you probably knew that already since you picked me up."

I stepped out and opened the car door for her. I took her hand and led her up the stairs to the apartment.

"Thank you for the wonderful evening, Ms. Erickson." Our formal nicknames for one another had quickly become an inside joke of sorts. She made a show of bowing and extending her hand out to me.

"The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Whitlock." She entwined our fingers and pulled me to her, wrapping her free hand around my waist. She stood on her toes and whispered softly in my ear. "I think this is the part where you give me a goodnight kiss."

I smiled down at her, shaking my head in mock disbelief. "You didn't even give me a chance to get there!" I leaned down and pressed my mouth against hers gently. I cupped her cheek in my palm and parted my lips slightly, allowing our tongues to dance together in the sweet tango that can only be had during a first kiss.

"Goodnight," Alice whispered, pressing her lips against mine in a small chaste kiss. She turned and walked in the building, waving at me and blowing me another kiss before getting on the elevator. Marcus winked at me and gave me thumbs up. I returned the gesture and bounded down the steps to my waiting car.

I reached for my phone, ready to call Edward and tell him how the night had gone, but stopped abruptly when I thought about the bet we'd made just a few short weeks ago. Here I was encouraging him to string Bella along while I fell shamelessly for her best friend. Alice adored Bella; that much was clear just from the conversations I'd had with her. If she were to find out that I wagered a stupid house in the Hamptons against her friend's heart, Alice would never speak to me again. Even though we'd only been on two dates, I knew I'd be devastated if she were to disappear from my life.

 _Oh please, Edward couldn't even get a tree to fall in love with him,_ a little voice in the back of my mind said. I almost agreed, but then I thought about Jessica Stanley and just how much she adored him throughout the course of their relationship. Edward wasn't the same man now that he was back then, and Bella was no Jessica, but the chemistry was definitely there between them, waiting for something or someone to come along and pop the cork off of it, allowing it to explode.

I thought about calling the bet off and proposing that Edward and I arrange some type of shared custody situation when it came to the house, but I knew my friend well enough to know that he was in too deep now to consider backing down. Even if he knew he was going to lose, his pride always seemed to derail his common sense, especially when it came to situations involving a woman.

I dropped my head in my hands, thinking of how I could put an end to the bet and prevent anyone from getting hurt. For now, I would just have to play it cool when I was with Alice and pray that Bella might be holding the key to Edward's heart.

Yeah, right. Miracles like that only happened in the movies.

Reality hit me like a ton of bricks – no good could possibly come to any of us in this situation.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I squinted my eyes and rolled over, avoiding the bright beam of sunshine that had snuck past my curtains. Bits and pieces of last night flashed through my mind: calling Edward, arguing with him at dinner, talking about my boobs, and kissing him in the backseat of the Lincoln.

Talking about my boobs.

Kissing Edward.

Holy. Shit.

 _What the FUCK were you thinking?_ After a sleepless night of praying to the porcelain god, sober brain was all that remained, and man was she ever pissed at me. _Rightfully so,_ I thought to myself.

I never behaved so carelessly, especially not with a client. The fact that Edward Cullen had a horribly unnerving effect on me was becoming clearer by the minute.

I reached over and pulled my cell phone off the nightstand. I had two missed calls from Alice and five text messages. As I scrolled through the texts, one in particular stood out.

**Give Twin and Rocky a hug for me this morning. I'm sorry I didn't behave myself last night, but I hope I'm right in seeing a proper introduction looming on the horizon. ;) – E.**

Oh. My. God.

I deleted his text and tossed a towel over my face in humiliation. _Are you happy with yourself? I don't know what you were trying to prove last night, but this should make for a wondrous work situation come Monday morning._ Sober brain had kicked her feet up, crossed her arms over her chest, and was staring at me with a smug expression on her face.

"Ugh," I groaned.

Perhaps I would get lucky and stumble upon Doc Brown, a DeLorean, and a flux capacitater sometime before the weekend was over. Then I could go back and fix my behavior and enjoy my weekend instead of spending it in a permanent state of anxiety. Better yet, I could go back and refuse to take Edward on as a client, which would effectively erase this entire situation and leave me free to roam the streets of the city without a care in the world.

Life wasn't an 80s movie though, and I knew I'd have to face the music on Monday morning.

_I wonder what the chances are that Alice would let me call in humiliated for the next 52 weeks?_

"Slim to none," I answered myself.

_I wonder what the chances are that I will be able to look at Edward the same again?_

I knew the answer to this question too: nonexistent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Bella would say, don't get your panties in a twist ladies & gents ... There is plenty of angst/humor/snark/sass/drama ahead. Nothing in life is easy, not even here in my little FF bubble. :)
> 
> Reviews = love, so please feel free to show me some. I've heard that Edward likes to mack reviewing readers in the back his Lincoln in his spare time. ;)


	8. On the Edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to the beautiful and talented Chloe Masen for being my beta - and such an awesome friend. I couldn't do this without you hun!
> 
> I'll come back at the end for a bit ... Enjoy!
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

I was sweaty and out of breath by the time I made it to the diner. I bolted inside and fell into the chair across from Rose.

"Jesus Bella, are you training for the New York Marathon?" Rose handed me a napkin and I wiped away the beads of sweat that clung to my forehead.

"I overslept," I said, grabbing the glass of water in front of me and gulping down half of it. "I ran all the way from 86th."

"Well, at least you don't have to go to the gym today," Alice joked. I made a show of scanning the menu, even though I knew it by heart. Rose wasted no time getting down to business after we'd ordered.

" I trust that you're both coming to the opening of _New Moon_ on Friday night?" Rose fixed us with her "you-don't-have-a-choice-in-this-matter" stare. _New Moon_ was Emmett's latest Broadway masterpiece, and I knew Rose would kill me if I didn't make it.

I sipped my coffee and pretended to contemplate my answer. "I don't know if my startlingly busy social calendar will permit me to attend that event." Rose shot daggers at me with her eyes and I giggled. "Of course I'll be there. You've only been gushing about it for the last week!"

Rose reached in her bag and pulled out a grouping of plastic covered passes. "We have front row center seats _and_ we get to walk to the carpet beforehand."

"Oh great." I rolled my eyes and stabbed at my English muffin. "Now everyone can paint me out to be the pathetic fifth wheel friend with no date."

"Don't worry, I've got that covered for you!" Alice chimed in.

"What?" Rose and I blurted out at the same time.

"I'm bringing Jasper," Alice said matter-of-factly. My ears perked up at the mention of Edward's best friend. "I told him he should invite Edward too."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "Bella, are you alright?" Rose's face now held a mixture of concern and surprise. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"Are you _still_ worried about being around Edward?" Alice rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Honestly Bella, you've been working wonderfully together for the past few weeks, and you survived another round of trash rag hocus pocus-"

"Another round of _what_?" I interrupted.

Alice shrunk down in her seat and leaned away from me. "Oh dear. You haven't seen the article, I take it?" I shook my head no. "It was published on Tuesday. I'm sure you can find it on Google."

"Thanks Alice, that's really comforting." I rested my forehead against the table and covered the top of my head with my hands. "I kissed Edward."

Rose dropped her spoon. "You what?"

"I kissed Edward," I repeated, trying to keep my voice calm.

Alice turned her chair to face me and clapped her hands excitedly. "I _knew_ there was a reason why you two were getting along so well. This is so exciting! We can go on double dates, and-"

"Stop!" I interrupted, throwing my hands up in the air. "I kissed Edward and _then_ I bolted out of his car like some juvenile teenager."

"What were you doing in his car? When did this even happen?" Rose looked confused.

"Friday night, when you two were out on your dates." I stuffed a piece of cantaloupe in my mouth and chewed before continuing. "I was home alone and for the first time in years I actually cared. There you two were, out on the town with these amazing guys, and I was sitting around staring at the wall like a loser. I didn't know who else to call."

"Bella." Rosalie clearly wasn't buying anything I said. "Emmett and I weren't 'out on the town' and you know it. We were having a low key night at my apartment and you were more than welcome to join us, as I told you that morning."

Alice looked offended. "How is it possible I didn't know about this until now? I can't believe you didn't say anything yesterday when we talked!"

"I was still in denial yesterday." I pushed my eggs around on my plate, focusing my attention on the soggy yellow and white mess in front of me. "I know you invited me over Rose, but really, I don't want to be the odd one out, and that's exactly how I'd feel."

Rose reached out and squeezed my hand. "I'd never think of you like that, Bell. Neither would Emmett. In fact, I'd love for you to spend more time with him and I. I want you and Alice both to get to know him, because I think he's going to be a permanent fixture from here on out."

"Thank you hon, and I know you would never treat me like that. I must have a complex or something."

"You don't have a complex, Bella. You're just human." Alice got a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Now tell us, who kissed who?"

I couldn't help but smile. Alice was being Alice. "He kissed me."

"You kissed him back though, right?" Rose leaned forward on her elbows. As caring as she was, she was clearly eager for gossip. If they weren't the two people closest to me I probably would have scolded them both. "I mean, it wasn't one of those awkward one-way kisses was it?"

"No, it definitely wasn't one-way." I tipped my head back and sighed, covering my eyes in embarrassment. "I fully participated in the tonsil hockey activities."

"This is SO exciting! I _have_ to text Jasper!" Alice reached for her cell phone, but I grabbed it before she had a chance.

"No, no, no you are NOT telling Jasper anything!" I stuffed her phone in my pocket and frowned. "I am not going to be the focal point of gossip for you, especially since Jasper is such good buddies with Edward. Besides, I'm sure he already told Jasper all about what a freak I am."

"I doubt that." Rose paid for our meals again and I said a silent thank you to Emmett for coming along and taming our own wild shrew. Rose hadn't been this generous since our college years. "Men like that don't just sit around and gossip. Only Newton does that."

"And Laurent!" Alice piped in.

"Who?" I asked.

"Laurent," Alice repeated. "He owns this restaurant Jasper brought me to. I've been thinking about setting him up with Mike."

"Remember what happened _last_ time you tried to set Newton up with someone?" Rose closed her eyes and shook her head at the memory. Alice was always trying to play matchmaker and last year she decided to set Mike up with Caius, the son of a close family friend. Of course none of us realized Caius practiced sadomasochism. The next thing we knew, Alice got a call begging her to come to Newton's rescue. She found him suspended in a cage in Caius's "rec room," wearing a pair of assless leather pants and a leather cock ring. Mike refused to speak to Alice for a month and I was almost positive he'd never agree to go on a blind date again.

Alice frowned. "Laurent isn't Caius." She turned her attention back to me. "What are you going to do about Edward? When will you see him again?"

I shrugged. "We don't have any meetings this week, thank God. I probably won't see him until the show on Friday, and that's only if he decides to come."

"You need to call him before then, Bella." Rose stood up stretched. Alice and I followed outside, lighting cigarettes when we were far enough from the café door.

"Rose is right, Bell. If he was anyone else it wouldn't matter, but he _is_ your client now. You can't just avoid him."

I slumped forward and let out a big sigh. "I know, I know. I'll call him, I just need to think of what I'm going to say."

Rose stared at me for a moment and then her eyes lit up. "I think you're in need of some retail therapy." I started to protest but she covered my mouth with her hand. "It'll take your mind off of this whole Edward situation _and_ it will give you a chance to get a new outfit for the show on Friday."

I knew I had no chance of winning this war, so I gave in. "Fine, fine," I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I'll go shopping."

Alice rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I see how it is, Swan. You go shopping with Rose but not with me." I shrugged helplessly. Alice smiled and gave us both air kisses on our cheeks. "I'm just kidding. I promised Mom I'd help her work on planning for some Thanksgiving banquet anyways."

We said our goodbyes to Alice and Rose grabbed my hand, dragging me towards her car. The sound of a familiar voice stopped us both in our tracks.

"Bella!"

I turned around and was greeted by his chiseled jaw and muscular neck. He said something else, but I was too busy staring at his adams apple to hear what it was.

I forced myself to look up, taking in his stubble coated chin and crooked smile. My eyes met his and I was instantly pulled in by the intensity of his stare.

"Two days, five text messages, and one jog later I finally get in touch with you." I heard Rose snicker next to me.

I gulped. I was blushing profusely. I couldn't even formulate a coherent sentence.

"Are you going to say something?" Rose whispered in my ear. Edward was staring expectantly at me. I had no idea what to so say, so I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Fuck me."

* * *

**Edward's POV**

My jogging by Bella's Sunday morning hangout was no accident. She hadn't answered any of my calls or returned any of my texts since Friday night. I didn't know what time she met the girls for brunch, only that it was their weekend ritual. I was pleasantly surprised to find her and Rosalie standing outside the diner when I jogged up.

"Bella!" I called out. Her body visibly tensed up and she turned around slowly, avoiding my eyes. I said hello to Rosalie while Bella stared at my throat like she was in a trance. An awkward silence filled the air and I smiled uncomfortably. Eventually Rosalie nudged her and whispered something in her ear, causing Bella to finally meet my eyes.

"Two days, five text messages, and one jog later I finally get in touch with you," I joked. Rosalie rolled her eyes and snickered. Bella's cheeks turned red and she swallowed hard.

"Fuck me," she blurted out. Rosalie's eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth with her hand. It was quite clear that she was trying to suppress her laughter. Bella's cheeks grew redder and she hit her palm against her forehead.

"Uh, it's good to see you too." I wasn't sure what to say and I didn't want to make some smart assed comment. I'd caused enough verbal damage with Bella in the past and I didn't want to create any more for the future.

"Did I mention I suffer from a condition called 'perpetual word vomit disorder' on weekend mornings?" Bella relaxed a bit and smiled.

I decided to play along with her. "No, but I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

Rosalie squeezed Bella's arm lightly. "I'm going to wait in the car, Bell. Take your time." She smiled up at me knowingly. "It was nice seeing you, Edward. I hope I'll see you Friday night."

"I wouldn't miss it," I said sincerely. Emmett and I had a history, and even though we weren't as close now as we were in college, I respected him and supported his work. Rosalie slid into the back of the Lincoln and closed the door behind her.

"I'm sorry I haven't gotten in touch with you." The words left Bella's mouth in a rush. "It's been a crazy weekend and-" I held up my hand, interrupting her.

"It's not a big deal, really." I ran my hand through my sweaty hair and then rested it on my hip. "I just wanted to make sure everything was alright after Friday night."

Bella's smile faltered and her eyes filled with nervousness. "Yeah, about that…" her voice trailed off and she looked down at her feet. I wanted to reach out and touch her face, tilt her chin up so she was looking at me, but I stopped myself. _What's happening to you, Cullen?_ I wondered. I hadn't wanted to show affection to anyone since … Well, let's just say it had been a long time.

"Please don't apologize, Bella. I'm the one that needs to apologize here." I wasn't sorry for kissing her, but I knew that's what she needed to hear. "I'm sorry for my behavior. I know we agreed to keep things professional and that wasn't professional at all."

"Please, it's not like I wasn't asking for it. I spent twenty minutes talking about my boobs, for Christ's sake. I'm pretty sure I brought that lip lock on myself."

I couldn't help but laugh as I remembered the nicknames she'd shared with me. "Regardless, it wasn't fair of me to take advantage of the situation, especially since we were drinking. I promise it won't happen again."

Her face relaxed a bit. "I _am_ sorry if I came off as a … tease." The corners of her mouth started to lift upward as she said it. "Alcohol doesn't exactly raise my inhibitions. I tend to get rather mouthy after I get a few drinks in me."

I grinned sheepishly and ran my hands through my hair. "We all do." Behind Bella, Rosalie rolled the window to the Lincoln down and gave me an impatient stare. "I should probably let you get back to your Sunday activities. Got anything fun on the agenda today?"

"Rose is dragging me out shopping." Bella rolled her eyes and made a gagging gesture. "She seems to think I need a new outfit for Emmett's thing on Friday."

"You're going to _New Moon_?" I tried to sound like I was indifferent about the topic, but I knew my voice had an excited undertone to it.

"Of course. I'd face the Rosalie Smith firing squad bright and early Saturday morning if I didn't."

"Well then, I'll be seeing you on Friday." I turned and stopped, looking over my shoulder and grinning at her. "Meet you on the red carpet?"

She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and smiled shyly. "I'll be the one tripping over my heels." She gave me a small wave and got in the Lincoln. The car pulled away and I started jogging in the direction of my apartment. I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. Her big brown eyes, her smile, her awkward gestures, and the way she played with her hair when she was nervous. I ran faster, trying to chase away the images of her that refused to stop playing in my mind. My legs felt like they were on fire by the time I reached my apartment.

I started peeling my clothes off as soon as I was inside, leaving a trail from the living room to the bathroom. My hand was on my cock before I even made it to the shower. I pumped my fist up and down in fast, hard strokes, closing my eyes and imagining her lips on mine. That was enough to send me over the edge, and I came in my hand in several spurts. I took a quick shower and cleaned up, throwing on a pair of faded blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and my favorite Eli Manning jersey. I made sure I had my car keys and coat before heading out the door.

Jasper and I were planning on going to my parents' place that afternoon to grill and watch the football game. His parents had just gotten back from an extended vacation, and Carlisle and Esme were both excited to see Peter and Charlotte.

I turned onto Jasper's street and saw my friend perched on the steps of his brownstone. He was in his traditional game garb, consisting of an oversized NY Giants hooded sweatshirt and a Giants' cap. He placed a few Dean and Deluca bags on the backseat and got in the passenger side.

"Jesus, did you bring the whole kitchen?" I didn't think Jasper knew how to cook, let alone well enough to bring _that_ much to the gathering. Besides, Esme and Charlotte rarely gave up control of the kitchen.

He shook his head "no" and checked to make sure his house keys were in his pocket. "Mom called me this morning and asked me to pick up a few things from the store for them. Dad didn't feel like being her errand boy since they just got back and all."

I laughed inwardly, imagining what the scene must have looked like. "She must really be mellowed from all their traveling. She never takes no for an answer, especially from your dad."

"I know! I was impressed when I talked to him earlier." Jasper glanced at his phone, punched in a quick text message and sent it off. "Are you coming with all of us on Friday night? Alice wants to know."

I nodded. "I'll be there." I hadn't told Jasper about the Friday night kiss, but I decided this was as good a time as any to put it out there. "I ran into Bella and Rosalie when I was jogging earlier."

"Oh yeah? How was that? Bella warming up to you at all yet?"

"Not exactly." I pulled the car to a stop in front of my parents' house and cut the engine. "I kissed her on Friday night and she freaked out and everything is all awkward now."

Jasper's mouth fell open a little. "You _kissed_ her? I didn't even know you two had gone out! What happened?"

I shrugged. "She kissed me back, then bolted out of the car and spent the next 36 hours ignoring all my calls and texts." I rubbed a fingerprint smudge off the rearview mirror with the sleeve of my undershirt. "She acted like it was nothing today, but there were definitely some weird vibes coming off of her."

"Oh man, I better get ready to sign the deed on that Hampton's house over to you." Jasper caught my look of confusion and continued. "Chicks bolt when they're nervous, and usually they're nervous because they have feelings. Is she coming to the opening on Friday?"

I nodded again. "She said she was." Just then a thought crossed my mind, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at Jasper. "Who knows about this bet?"

"Nobody," he answered quickly. I was still suspicious.

"Nobody? Are you sure about that, Whitlock?"

He crossed his heart and held up his hand. "I promise. Scout's honor." Jasper opened the car door, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "I debated telling Alice about it but thought better."

"You sure as fuck better not tell Alice!" I slammed my door and stomped around the back of the car. "You tell Alice anything and this entire arrangement is ruined!"

"Calm down! I'm not going to tell her anything. I'd be incriminating myself right alongside you and that's not what I want." Jasper grabbed the grocery bags and turned to face me. "Besides, you had to go and mix business with pleasure and now your book and everything else is on the line here. God only knows what she'd do for your publicity if she found out the truth right now."

I could feel the color drain from my face. "How the hell else was I supposed to get her to talk to me, jack ass? I couldn't very well have just called her and said, 'Hey Bella, I'm that asshole who harassed you at White's charity gala, want to go and grab coffee some time, we can continue our chat about your beautiful tits and my misogynistic attitude.' The whole PR thing was the perfect lead in, and it helped having Esme know her already."

Jasper started up the steps to my parents' house but stopped and turned around abruptly. "You have to promise me right now Edward, knowledge of this friendly wager never gets to anyone else. I have too much on the line myself now for this shit to hit the fan."

I patted Jasper's shoulder and looked away. "My lips are sealed. Once this book publicity is over I can seal the deal, you can give me my new Hampton's pad, and we can both carry on with our lives. It'll be as if this bet never existed."

Jasper looked sad. "Until you break Bella's heart and put a wrench in everything. Alice will be furious and Bella will be reminded of you every time she sees me." He rang the doorbell. "There's no way to make this thing not end badly. Unless we just end the bet right here and now and forget about it."

"No fucking way!" I shook my head furiously. "A bet is a bet, my friend. There is no backing down." _And I want to continue spending time with Bella,_ I admitted silently.

Esme opened the front door, putting an abrupt end to our unusual conversation. "Well if isn't my two favorite Manhattan men! Come on in, make yourselves at home." Esme gave Jasper a hug and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "I hope you brought your appetites because we have a ton of food!"

Jasper headed for the kitchen, where his mom was stirring something in a crock-pot and his dad was pouring four glasses of wine. "Mom! Dad! Welcome home!"

Charlotte set the wooden spoon she was holding down and threw her arms around Jasper's neck. Jasper, in turn, picked her up and spun her around, kissing her forehead when he set her down again. Peter reached out to shake his son's hand, but quickly pulled him in for a hug. The couple had been away in France for the past six weeks, and I knew Jasper was looking forward to having them back in town for a while.

"Edward, you look wonderful! Get over here and let me give you a hug." Charlotte opened her arms and I smiled at her, walking into her familiar embrace. I kissed her cheek and turned to shake Peter's hand. I was quickly pulled in for a hug as well. Under normal circumstances, I'd feel incredibly awkward showing outward displays of affection for anyone who wasn't my immediate family. I'd grown up with Jasper and his parents however, and it almost felt like they were just an extension of our own small, tight-knit Cullen clan.

"Good afternoon, Son." Carlisle was wearing a ridiculous "Kiss the Cook" apron that Esme had given him for Christmas several years back. He also had a rather outrageous, tall white paper chef hat on his head and was holding a set of grill tongs. "Jasper, it's good to see you. I'm glad you both could make it."

Esme got back to helping Charlotte prepare whatever was in her crock-pot while Jasper and I followed our dads out into the back yard. I could see several cuts of steak and different pieces of chicken scattered across the grill already.

"What's going on over at _the Journal_ these days?" Peter settled into one of the patio chairs, preparing to catch up with his son. I dropped down in the chair next to him and heaved a sigh of relief. I didn't mind having the spotlight aimed away from me, especially today.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket.

**Please don't text me again. Riley was furious. Forget you know this number. Forget you know my name. Forget everything, Edward. It's time to let it go.**

I stood up and excused myself, making a beeline for my father's study. I grabbed the crystal decanter of scotch on his bookshelf and poured myself a full glass. I tipped it back, swallowing the entire contents of the small cup and savoring the burning feeling of the alcohol traveling down my throat. I poured more and repeated the process until my mind started to get foggy and my heart felt numb.

I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. My eyes were bloodshot and my cheeks tinged pink from the buzz I had. _Esme is going to kill you_ , the responsible side of my brain scolded. I shrugged the thoughts away and leaned my forehead against the mirror.

I'd spent the past eight years searching for the perfect drug to make the hollow pain in my chest go away. It flared up any time I thought about _her_ and always overstayed its welcome.

Then Bella came along and for the first time in a long time I actually felt hopeful. I tried to deny my feelings at first, I tried to push them down and block them out, but I couldn't run from them anymore.

Bella Swan would never be just another one-night stand. She'd never be an object or a piece of arm-candy for me. Bella Swan was _my_ perfect drug. I _wanted_ her. I _needed_ her.

Even though she hadn't given me the chance to have her, one thing was becoming more and more clear to me each day: I could no longer envision my world without Bella Swan in it.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I was the first one to arrive at the theater on Friday night. This came as no shock to me. I seemed to travel solo more often now that I was the last single woman standing in our small social circle. Ordinarily this didn't bother me, but tonight for some reason it did.

 _Probably because your friend has the pass that will get you inside, and until she arrives you're stuck standing here looking like a lame ass._ My mind certainly had a way with words.

"You aren't tripping over your feet," a rich, velvety voice purred in my ear. I blushed immediately. He seemed to have that effect on me regardless of the situation.

"Well, technically we aren't _on_ the red carpet yet." I smiled up at Edward. He looked amazing, as always. His suit was a dark navy blue color, almost black, and his hair was gelled up in a perfectly messy array. His emerald eyes were alive with excitement and he smelled like a combination of peppermint and Armani cologne. _If he wasn't so sexy it would be easier to see him for what he really is – a repulsive man whore with no moral code or respect for women._ Yep, my brain was on a roll tonight. I'd have to rein her in at some point.

"Edward! Bella!" Rose had just stepped out of her and Emmett's limo and was garnering plenty of attention. She looked stunning in a floor length chocolate colored gown. The fabric pooled around her feet and the top half was adorned with what must have been hundreds of small Swarovski crystals. I smiled and waved at her, heading in her direction. Edward placed his hand on the small of my back, startling me.

"I don't want to lose you in this crowd," he whispered in my ear. I gulped and nodded, continuing my trek to Rose.

_Flash! Flash! Flash!_

"Let the blinding begin!" I joked when I broke free from the crowd. Rose rolled her eyes and gave me a hug. Emmett squeezed my arm and kissed my cheek in a friendly fashion.

"Nice job, Hale!" Edward clapped his hand down on Emmett's shoulder and smiled at him. "This is quite the turn out."

"Thanks man." Emmett shook Edward's hand and returned the smile. "Did you ever think we'd be standing here someday?"

Edward looked nostalgic for a moment. "Not in this capacity. It sure beats the days of bumming around Weinstein though." Both men laughed while Rose and I looked on in confusion.

"Sorry we're late!" Alice skipped up to us and hugged Rose and I. "I'm not going to lie, I couldn't decide which shoes to wear."

"Why does this not surprise me?" Rose handed us our passes and led the way to the beginning of the carpet. A wave of nausea passed over me when I saw the spectacle playing out in front of us. Working with Edward was getting me enough unwanted attention lately. If I had my way I would have headed up the smaller carpet for the non-socialite/A-List crowd and snuck in the door. Unfortunately for me, Rosalie Smith was an all or nothing kind of woman, and that meant I either sucked it up and dealt with the attention or I didn't get into the premiere. There would likely be consequences for the second option, so I opted for the first.

"Hold up, hold up!" I dodged in front of Rose and smiled smugly. "I'm not getting stuck behind you for an hour taking photos."

"I'm with you on that." Edward winked and slid behind me in our makeshift lineup.

I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, and stepped into the chaos. I waved and smiled at a few of the photographers, all while trying to make it down the carpet as quickly as possible.

As luck would have it, my feet had no desire to be cooperative. Before I even realized what was happening, I was nose-diving towards the red carpet at a mortifying speed. I closed my eyes and stuck my hands out, preparing to brace myself against the fall, when I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and stand me up on my feet.

"Just breathe," he whispered in my ear. He pulled me closer to him and we continued walking. In an effort to avoid falling again, I put my arm around him and grabbed a fistful of his suit coat securely in my hand.

"Bella! Edward! Over here!" Flash bulbs were going off all around us, but the only thing I noticed was the feeling of Edward's fingers through the fabric of my dress. As if on cue, we both angled our heads towards one another, avoiding making eye contact with the crowd around us. His face was so close to me that I could feel his breath on my hair. As absurd as the situation was, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, it made a part of me melt inside.

"I believe we're safe and sound." He let go of me when we were inside the theater. My cheeks were burning with a combination of embarrassment and excitement. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd be tripping over yourself."

"Thank you for catching me," I choked out. He reached out and brushed his fingertips over my cheek.

"It's the least I could do." There was a degree of emotion in his voice that I'd never heard before. A flock of butterflies came to life in my stomach.

Alice burst through the door behind me. "If there's one thing you're good at it's leaving your mark, Iz." She looked me up and down. "Your limbs are in tact and you appear to have no broken bones. We're a step above the last red carpet fiasco."

"Ha ha, very funny." I craned my neck and looked over the crowd, wondering if there was a cash bar somewhere in this place. "I need a drink."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean you can't even walk straight when you're sober." Jasper was in hysterics next to Alice. I narrowed my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Well, it's official." Rose came in by herself, and I assumed Emmett was still talking to reporters on the carpet. "You just about stole all the glory with that tumble out there. I thought they were going to bang the door down after the two of you made it inside."

Alice smirked. "Bella's fall is the least of their cares right now." She waved her hand back and fourth between Edward and me. "They're concerned with what's going on between these two."

"What's going on between Bella and Edward?" Emmett asked, re-joining our small group.

"For the hundredth time, NOTHING IS GOING ON BETWEEN EDWARD AND I!" I belted out, surprising myself. A few people turned to look at us and I lowered my eyes in embarrassment. I'd completely forgotten Edward was standing right there until he cleared his throat.

"I think we should sit down," Edward said, glaring at Alice and Emmett. I nodded in agreement, pushing past him and heading for my seat. I managed to make it there without any additional fancy footwork. Edward took his seat on one side of me and Alice sat down on the other.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I was only trying to be funny."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Your idea of funny is a bit different than mine. I'm so glad you could get a good laugh at my expense." The sarcasm in my voice was so thick I could almost feel it dripping off my tongue.

Alice didn't say anything more and I didn't either. Eventually the conversation around us dwindled down and the lights dimmed in the theater. I settled down in my chair and watched as the curtain slid open and the show started.

I laid my head back on the seat and closed my eyes. Edward was bouncing his leg up and down nervously next to me. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to lean over and tell him I wasn't trying to dismiss him earlier, but I couldn't do it. Even if I _was_ trying to dismiss him, I knew he wouldn't care, because Edward wasn't the type to settle down, especially with someone as plain Jane as me.

Just because there was _nothing_ between us didn't mean Edward was _nothing_ to me.

Quite the opposite was true, in fact.

In some alternate universe, where Wall Street didn't exist, emerald-eyed men weren't afraid of commitment, and young girls native to Forks, WA actually had balls, Edward had the potential to be my everything.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I wanted to kill Alice.

Scratch that. I wanted to kill Alice _and_ Emmett.

Sitting through the play was excruciating. I desperately wanted to lean over and ask Bella if she was okay, but I was too worried about what her reaction might be. Instead, I bounced my leg up and down like a fool and clung to the arms of my chair like they were life rafts.

When the curtains finally closed again, the entire place rose to its feet in a standing ovation. Rose gave Emmett a very deep, very public kiss, and I watched him turn four shades redder than I'd ever seen. Jasper was telling Alice how he wanted one of the A&E reporters from _the Journal_ to come out and cover the play and maybe even do an exclusive interview with Emmett. I tried to make eye contact with Bella, but she was staring at the stage like she'd never seen one before.

"I think we should all ride to the after party in one limo," Rose suggested. _That_ statement got Bella's attention.

"There's an after party?" She groaned and hung her head.

Alice spun around. "Of course there's an after party! How many years have we been doing public relations? There's _always_ an after party!"

I stepped forward and touched Bella's elbow softly. "Please don't make me fly solo with this bunch for the rest of the night. I'm begging you." A smile twitched at the corners of her lips and I knew I had her.

Rose mouthed a silent _'thank you'_ to me and I nodded in acknowledgment. I helped Bella with her coat and we followed our group, which was led out a rear entrance by a pair of security guards. The limo pulled away from the curb as soon as we were all seated. About twenty minutes later, the car came to a stop in front of a club called Marquee. The driver opened the door for us and we were greeted with a few more camera flashes.

"This is really quite ridiculous. It's not like any of us are bona fide Hollywood celebrities," Bella grumbled. I chuckled and followed her to the VIP entrance.

"He's a popular Broadway director and producer, that gives him celebrity status here." The hostess led us upstairs to the VIP area, which had a private bar, multiple tables, and several areas sectioned off with couches. The far side of the room was open and overlooked the packed dance floor below.

A waitress approached us before we were even seated, taking drink orders and bustling off to the bar. Bella sunk down onto a couch next to Rose and Emmett. I opted to sit across from them with Jasper and Alice.

"The show was fantastic, Emmett!" Alice gushed excitedly. I nodded in agreement and took a large sip of my whiskey coke.

"She's right, my friend. I don't know the first thing about Broadway ratings, but I'll give you two thumbs up." I held my thumbs in the air and gave Emmett an exaggerated smile. He laughed and reached over to give me a fist bump.

Rose draped her arm over Emmett's shoulders and pressed her lips against his cheek. "I told him he's pretty much guaranteed a Tony nomination, but he's too modest to admit it."

Bella was busy nursing her Belvedere, gulping down the remainder of her first glass and starting on her second. I wondered if Twin and Rocky would get another mention tonight, and if so, what circumstances it would be under.

"Rosalie told me you have a book coming out." Emmett leaned towards me, shouting over the music.

I nodded and finished my own drink. "I do indeed. The release party is at the end of November." I gestured towards Bella, thinking now would be a good time to draw her into the conversation and away from her drinking. "The resident lush over there could give you more details. She's planning everything for me."

Bella looked up and hiccupped. She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled, blushing slightly. "Edward's gonna be on TV and in some magazines!" She took another sip of her drink and held her index finger up. "Oh, and I'm organizing a fucking awesome book release party for him. In fact, I'm putting you on the guest list! Edward, is it alright if Emmett is on the list?"

I wasn't sure what was more amusing – Bella's behavior or Emmett's facial expression. He clearly hadn't seen her in this state before. Come to think of it, neither had I. Last weekend's happily tipsy Bella was nothing compared to tonight's completely trashed Bella. "Absolutely. In fact, Emmett can be on the _top_ of the list."

"Perfect!" She raised both hands in the air and let out an excited squeal. "I need another drink!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" She shot me a dirty look before waving the waitress over.

"I don't need a _babysitter_ , Edward. I know my limits, thank you very much!"

Rosalie whispered something to Emmett and they stood up. "We're going to go mingle. Just stuff her in a cab and send her home if she gets to be too much." Rosalie winked at me. Bella flipped her off but Rosalie just blew her a kiss and smiled. "You know I love you, Iz."

I excused myself to use the restroom, and when I returned Bella was well into her third drink. The lights in the VIP area had been dimmed and she was swaying to the music. Her eyes were closed and she had a ridiculous smile plastered on her face. I took my seat across from her and tipped back the shot I'd ordered. I had a good buzz going and I liked the atmosphere around me.

"I love this song!" Bella exclaimed as the DJ spun out Timbaland's "The Way I Are." She stood up and started moving her body, swaying her hips and running her hands up and down her sides. Her fingertips grazed over her breasts on each upstroke and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from letting out a hiss of arousal.

" _I ain't got no money, I ain't got no car to take you on a date, I can't even buy you flowers, but together we can be the perfect soul mates…"_

Bella closed her eyes and dipped low. She ran her finger down the side of her face and placed it in her mouth, sucking on it lightly. She opened her eyes and looked directly at me, removing her finger from her mouth and making a "come here" gesture with said finger.

"I want to dance with you." Bella shouted over the music. Alice and Jasper had disappeared somewhere in the lower level of the club. Rose and Emmett were at the bar socializing with some of the show's actors. That left Bella and me all alone to our own devices.

I shook my head and leaned back into the couch. "I don't dance. Honestly, it's a travesty to have to witness."

Bella wasn't going to take no for an answer though. She closed the space between us, stopping in front of me and placing a hand on her hips. She stuck her free hand out and poked her index finger into my chest.

"You don't have to dance, Edward." She grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me up. She walked around me slowly, running her hands across my chest and back. I trembled beneath her touch and she smiled wickedly. "All you have to do is move."

Bella pressed her back flat against my chest and started moving to the music. My hands found their way to her hips and before long we were grinding up on one another. I leaned down and pressed my lips against her bare shoulder, inhaling her sweet, seductive scent. She reached around and wove her fingers into my hair, pulling my face to her and pressing her lips against mine hungrily.

I knew this was wrong on so many levels. She was my publicist, we'd agreed to stay professional, and I'd already witnessed her reaction to our drunken kiss last weekend. _This is all in the name of the bet. When did you turn into such a softie?_

At the same time, this felt deliciously right as well; not only because of the bet, but because Bella felt good beneath my hands. The feel of her skin sent electric jolts down my fingers and through my body, igniting every nerve along the way. She fit perfectly against me and I was almost positive we'd fit together perfectly in other ways as well.

" _Baby if you strip, you could get a tip, cause I like you just the way you are, I'm about to strip and I want it quick, can you handle me the way I are?"_

She bent down, grinding her ass against my groin. I moaned and squeezed her hips lightly. She threw her head back up and looked at me over her shoulder. I felt my cock stiffen, and I knew she felt it too because a minute later she got a devilish look in her eye and ground herself against me harder.

" _I don't need the cheese or the car keys, boy I like you just the way you are, and let me see ya strip, you could get a tip, cause I like you just the way you are…"_

I spun her around so she was facing me and brushed the hair off her shoulder. I left a trail of chaste kisses across her collarbone and up her neck to her ear.

"Come home with me," I whispered. She looked in my eyes and I saw fear staring back at me. It only lasted for a moment before lust and wonder took its place. I ran my hand along her spine, settling it on the small of her back and pulling her closer to me. I took her ear lobe in my mouth and nibbled on it gently before whispering again.

"Come home with me." She drew in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and nodded. I started to move away to get our coats but she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to her.

"Promise me something, Cullen."

"That all depends on what you're asking me to promise, Ms. Swan." I answered honestly. She bit her lower lip nervously and looked up at me through her long eyelashes.

"Promise me you won't behave tonight." I was taken aback by her words. She continued quietly. "I'm not going home with you to drink tea and play Scrabble, and I think we both know it. Make this worth it for me, Cullen. Please?"

I grinned and ran a hand through my hair. Belvedere-induced bad girl Bella was definitely my favorite.

"I swear on all that's holy, Ms. Swan, I will make it way more than worth your while." I grabbed our coats and helped her into hers. I still hadn't seen our friends, so I sent a quick text to Emmett telling him we were leaving and I'd get Bella home safe. I didn't have the patience to wait for my driver, so I hailed us a cab when we got outside.

Her hands were on me as soon as we were in the car. My tongue slipped into her mouth and she sucked on it greedily. She was trying to unbutton my shirt but I pushed her fingers away to stop her.

"Not here, baby. Only a few more blocks." I willed the driver to go faster, wanting nothing more than to get home and get Bella out of her dress.

I was finally, after a month of pursuing, going to get my way with Bella Swan. This simple act wouldn't win me the bet by any means, but it was a good start. As her lips moved against mine, I couldn't help but wonder if this was really the best night to do this. Bella was drunk, I was drunk, and I was almost positive she'd be furious in the morning, not only with herself but with me too.

Three weeks ago I would have been fucking ecstatic if Bella agreed to go home with me.

Tonight, however, I was feeling nothing but immense guilt.

_Who are you and what have you done with Edward Cullen?_

**Bella's POV**

* * *

Edward's lips were hot and his mouth tasted like the whiskey he'd spent the night drinking.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but it certainly felt right.

Me.

Edward.

Sex.

Holy. Fuck.

I pressed my lips to his again and tousled my fingers in his hair. The cab stopped and he paid the fare. I followed him inside and into the elevator.

His arms wound around my waist and his bright green eyes bored into mine. I'd like to think I saw longing and a deeper emotion there but I knew it was only the liquor fooling me.

Edward unlocked the door to his apartment and we stepped inside. He slipped his suit coat off and turned to face me, cupping my chin in his hands.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked sincerely. The sane part of my brain was in the middle of an all-out brawl with the drunken side at the moment. As in most situations like this, drunken brain knocked sane brain out and took over my train of thought.

"Absolutely." I said. I kicked the door closed behind me and wrapped my arms around Edward's neck.

Tomorrow morning would be the time for regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm ... I wonder who Edward was texting ... and why he was texting her ...
> 
> Sorry to cliff hang, but this entire story shifted in this chapter and took an unexpected turn from the plot I'd always envisioned in my brain. It just felt right though, so I'm going to roll with it and see where it takes it!
> 
> Lyrical credit goes to Timbaland for this awesome club song, "The Way I Are."
> 
> As always, reviews = love, so don't be afraid to leave some.
> 
> xoxo


	9. Slipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I did a bit of a cliffie last time, but it was necessary. E&B weren't ready to go there just quite yet. Now, on the other hand ... Well, you'll just have to read on to find out! ;)
> 
> THANK YOU to Chloe Masen, my brilliant and lovely beta who I would be floundering without. 
> 
> See you all at the end...
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

I knew this was wrong, but his hands and lips felt so damn good I was fooled into thinking it was right.

Edward picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist, enjoying the friction it created. He let out a groan and unzipped my dress, pushing it down and exposing my bare breasts.

"So these are the infamous Twin and Rocky." His eyes sparkled with mischief when he looked up at me. I nodded and felt myself start to blush. Edward pressed his lips against mine and kissed me hard, running his tongue along my bottom lip and biting it gently. I grabbed his hair in my hands, pulling him to me and kissing him back hungrily. He carried me in the direction of what I guessed was his bedroom, keeping his lips on mine the entire time.

"God Bella, you're so incredibly sexy." He leaned down and gently dropped me onto his bed. His hands went to the buttons of his shirt, but I reached up and stopped him.

"I want to." I pulled him down so he was kneeling between my legs on the bed. I pulled at each button slowly and carefully, teasing him more and more with every inch that came undone. I tugged his shirt off and tossed it across the room, feeling no shame as I undid his pants and pushed them down his legs. He stood up and kicked them and his shoes aside, crawling back on the bed and settling between my legs in nothing but his boxer briefs.

"I want to taste you," he whispered, running his tongue along my jaw and down my neck. He leaned back on his knees and pulled at my dress. I lifted my hips and he slid it off of me, dropping it on the floor where his pants were. For a moment I felt self conscious, but when I saw the look of lust and longing in his eyes as they roamed over my body, I knew Edward liked what he saw.

He leaned forward and kissed me again, pressing his tongue against mine and familiarizing himself with my mouth. His right hand found its way to my breasts, and he pinched one nipple gently between his thumb and forefinger. I whimpered and thrust my chest upward, and I could feel him smile against my mouth.

"Looks like someone is quite sensitive in this area." I attempted to spit out a witty retort, but my words were a throaty sounding string of nonsense. He kissed my chin and the soft skin between my breasts before taking the right one in his mouth and sucking hard on it. I gasped and grabbed his hair, trying to pull his mouth down to cover more of me. After a few minutes he did the same with my other breast while his free hand started to travel south.

"God Bella, you're so wet for me already." He pushed my thong aside and ran his fingers up and down my folds, tracing a tight circle around my clit and pressing gently on it. I dug my fingers into his arms and moaned loudly.

He kissed his way down my stomach, stopping when he reached the top of my flimsy panties. His thumbs hooked in the sides and he pulled them off effortlessly. He grabbed my ankles and pulled me to the end of the bed, pushing my legs apart and resting on his elbows between them.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Bella?" His gaze was intense but his eyes were filled with so much sincerity I wanted to cry. I wondered if he gave every woman an out like he was giving me now. Regardless, we'd gone this far already, and I knew what I wanted.

"Yes," I breathed, running the tips of my fingers across his cheek and down his jaw. He smiled a smile that was quickly becoming one of my favorites and planted a trail of kisses up the inside of my thigh. I dug my fingers into his hair and pulled him towards me, causing him to chuckle. He looked me in the eye as he ran his tongue through my folds, dragging it slowly across my clit before pulling away and blowing gently. I shivered and pushed my hips up to him. He put his mouth over my clit and sucked on it, slipping a single finger into me and twisting it around.

"Ahhhh … Edward," I gasped, wrapping my fingers around his hair. I felt him smile against me as he slid his tongue in circles around my clit. I could already feel my orgasm starting to build when he slipped a second finger in me and curled them upwards. I arched up off the bed as he stroked my sweet spot that no other men had ever managed to find.

"Mmmm," he moaned against me, sending a ripple of vibrations across my sensitive skin. He pumped his fingers into me faster, pressing against that magical little bundle of nerves each time. He flicked my clit several times with his tongue and then took it in his mouth, sucking hard and nipping on it. A minute later I was seeing stars, crying out, and having the most intense orgasm of my entire life. Edward slid his fingers out and dipped his tongue in me, running it up and down along my folds while I rode out my orgasm. He pinched my clit gently and I yelped at the sensation. He laughed and began to kiss his way back up to my face, circling each nipple with his tongue before pressing his lips against mine and kissing me hungrily. I could taste myself on him and it was incredibly erotic.

"Fuck me," I whispered. He leaned back and gave me a playful smirk.

"Do you mean it this time?" he teased. I giggled, thinking back to how nervous I was when I ran into him last weekend after we'd kissed. If someone had told me then that I'd be in this position now, I would have laughed in their face and probably called them names. Now here I was, on the verge of screwing the most amazing looking man in all of Manhattan, who without a doubt had the most amazing tongue of all the men I'd ever known.

I ran my hand down his chest and dipped my fingertips into the waistband of his boxer briefs. "Absolutely."

He stood up and walked across the room and into the bathroom. He returned a moment later with a handful of condoms, tossing them on the bed next to me. He pushed his boxer briefs down and kicked them to the side before kneeling between my legs on the bed once more.

"Jesus Christ Edward, I don't have that kind of energy." I gestured towards the condoms and widened my eyes in exaggerated shock. He laughed, tearing open one of the foil packets and rolling the latex down his shaft. He had a picture perfect dick – long, thick and curved slightly upward. He settled between my legs, pushing the tip of his cock against my entrance teasingly. I leaned up until my forehead was resting against his and wrapped my fingers around his neck.

"I'll go easy on you to start." His mouth was on mine as he slid into me slowly. My eyes rolled back in my head and a cry fell from my lips when I felt him start to fill me inch by perfect inch. When he was all the way in, I dropped back on the bed and closed my eyes. His chest heaved with heavy breaths and he stared into my eyes, staying perfectly still while we appreciated the feel of one another. When he started to move again, he pulled almost all the way out and thrust back into me slowly, but with more force.

"More, Edward," I groaned, arching my back as he took a nipple in his mouth and increased his speed. His breath was coming out in ragged grunts and tiny beads of sweat started to form along his hairline. I reached up and pulled his mouth to mine, slipping my tongue between his lips and kissing him hungrily.

"God, Bella, this feels so amazing. You feel so amazing." He pulled himself up on his knees and gripped my hips in his hands, thrusting into me with fast, hard motions. His eyes were fixed on the apex where our bodies joined, and the look on his face was enough to make me want to come right then and there.

"Edward … please … ahhh." His thumb found my clit and he began to rub tight circles around it. I wrapped my legs around him and dug my heels into the back of his thighs, pushing us closer together. Each thrust grazed my g-spot, and before long I was withering beneath him once again.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I yelled, losing myself in the depths of another intense orgasm. Edward began to pump himself into me frantically before calling out my name when he reached his own release.

He pulled out of me and flopped down on his back, slinging one arm over his eyes and letting out a sigh. I bit my lip and tried to catch my breath, soaring along on my post-coital high. Our bodies were covered in sweat, the sheets were half off the bed, and I was pretty sure a window must be fogged up somewhere in the house. I felt him scoot closer to me before wrapping his arm around me.

"That was incredible." He kissed my shoulder and buried his face in the side of my neck. I nodded in agreement and rested my chin against the top of his head.

"My thoughts exactly." I closed my eyes and smiled, loving the way his bare skin felt against mine. Truth be told, I'd never felt quite _this_ comfortable with a man after what would inevitably end up being a one night stand. I didn't feel like I had to get dressed and leave immediately, or like I had to have that awkward "I'll call you – no _I'll_ call you" conversation with him. It actually felt kind of … nice?

That thought sobered me up fast. Days ago I was freaking out about something as simple as a kiss. Now I was mulling over how nice it felt to be in Edward's bed. _Jesus, people probably think you're a bi-polar wreck,_ I thought amusedly. Yes, that would be my excuse for tonight – an elevated mood coupled with lots of alcohol and months upon months of sexual deprivation.

Nobody else needed to know just how much I enjoyed the feeling of Edward's fingertips grazing the skin just beneath my belly button.

I pushed his arm off and sat up, covering myself with the nearest sheet. "I need to use the bathroom."

"Take your time," he said, standing up and peeling the condom off. He chucked it in the garbage next to his nightstand and headed for the bedroom door. "I'm going to grab a water. Would you like one?"

"Yes, please." I closed the bathroom door and sank down on the edge of the toilet. I dropped my head in my hands and blew out a long sigh. I didn't really have to use the bathroom, and I was almost sure Edward knew that. What I needed was a moment alone to clear my thoughts and decide which course of action I would take here. I could stick around for a while, sober up a bit more, and then excuse myself to take the cab ride of shame back to my apartment. I could get dressed as fast as possible and bolt out the door before Edward had a chance to say anything, but I doubted that would have the best impact on our working relationship. Or I could splash some cold water on my face, get comfortable in Edward's bed, and wait until tomorrow morning to deal with the ramifications of our little tryst.

Surprising myself, I chose option three, which turned out to be a good thing because Edward was already back in bed by the time I came out of the bathroom. I gripped the sheet tightly around myself and made my way back across the room, taking the bottle of water he held out to me.

" I think you're going to be alright," he said, gesturing to the sheet. "It's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Thanks for making that observation, Captain Obvious." I settled down next to him and took a sip of water. The cold liquid felt good against the back of my dry throat.

He smirked and reached out, tucking his finger in the edge of the sheet and tugging on it. The fabric came apart, exposing my chest and abdomen.

"That's more like it," he whispered, taking the water from me and setting it on the nightstand. He leaned forward, brushing his fingertips over my nipple and nibbling gently on my earlobe. "You weren't planning on sleeping tonight, were you?"

I giggled and shook my head "no" as he rolled me on top of him. His lips met mine and all my previous worries seemed to vanish.

It looked like Edward was offering me an option four – and I'd be damned if I wasn't going to take it.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I struggled to keep my eyes closed, but the sunshine beating through my window made it impossible. Bella and I had stayed up late – _very_ late – and I hadn't planned on waking up so early. Mother Nature had other things in store for me though.

 _Bella,_ I thought with a smile. I reached towards where she'd fallen asleep in my arms last night, but my hand fell onto the empty mattress with a soft thud. I opened my eyes all the way and sat up. My room had looked like a hurricane when we finally fell asleep. Now, everything was back in order; the sheets were mostly on the bed, my clothing was in a neat pile on top of my dresser, and the empty water bottles and condom wrappers that littered the floor were gone. If I didn't have the fingernail marks on my arms to prove her presence, I'd probably think I imagined her here.

I stood up and stretched before making my way towards the kitchen. My thighs and forearms felt like they were on fire. I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept with a woman that many times in one night. I also couldn't remember the last time I'd had _that_ good of sex. My dick started to get hard just thinking about it.

"Bella?" I called out, wondering if she was still somewhere in my apartment. My inquiry was met with silence. I blew out a breath of disappointment and leaned up against the kitchen counter. I frowned, confused as to why her absence upset me. We were just friends, after all. Well, friends with a few added benefits after last night. In the last eight years, I'd shared my bed with a ridiculous number of women, most of whom I never saw again. One-night stands were comfortable for me, and I especially liked the parts where emotions weren't involved and commitment wasn't an issue.

A small part of me was happy Bella wasn't there, because that meant I didn't have to explain myself and my desire to stay as far away from relationships as possible. The larger part of me, however, was bummed out from the moment I realized she wasn't in bed.

"Snap out of it," I muttered to myself, shaking my head a few times and running my hands through my messy hair. Sleeping with Bella was a mistake. I desperately wanted to win this bet, if for no other reason than to prove Jasper wrong. Most of the women I slept with spent their time shopping and frequenting bars and nightclubs. They didn't care much who they fucked as long as he was good-looking and had a large bank account. They fell in and out of love about as often as any normal person changed his or her underwear. If Bella were any other member of my "harem," she'd have muttered the words a week ago and I would be on my way to the Hamptons right now.

But Bella made it clear she wasn't the type of woman who fell for expensive dates and hot sex. She was intelligent, driven, and independent as hell, expecting a man to woo her with conversation, chivalry, and culture. Yes, I was a smooth talker. Yes, I knew how to open the door and pull out a chair for a lady. Yes, I even liked to visit museums, see shows, and attend the occasional lecture or seminar. Bella needed more than that though – _deserved_ more than that. She deserved someone who would remember her favorite flavor of ice cream and show up on at her door on the hottest day of the summer with a cup of it just because he was thinking about her. She deserved someone who would take her home to meet his parents and light up when he saw her bonding with his mother over old baby photos. She deserved someone who would never forget her birthday, an anniversary date, or what she wanted for Christmas. Bella deserved somebody who would love her completely, inside out, for better or for worse.

I couldn't be _that_ for her. I didn't even know if I _would_ ever love again.

Taking Bella to bed only proved just how right she was about me, and about my personality.

I had to call the bet off. I was foolish to believe Bella could ever love somebody like me. I wandered back to my room and found my phone sitting on the nightstand. I was about to dial Jasper's number when the phone started ringing.

 _ **Bella Swan Mobile**_ flashed across the screen. I almost hit the "ignore" button but thought better. I didn't want to make the situation any worse than it already probably was.

"Hello?" I hoped I sounded normal.

"Edward, hey, it's Bella." She was talking fast and her voice was high pitched, the way she always did when she got nervous.

"Well if it isn't the illusive Bella Swan. I was beginning to think I'd dreamed you into existence last night." I hit my palm against my forehead immediately. I couldn't believe how stupid I sounded. "To what do I owe this call?"

"We need to talk. Can you meet me at Starbucks?"

I swallowed the lump of guilt that was quickly forming in my throat. "Uh, sure. What Starbucks did you have in mind?"

"The one we always seem to bump into one another at. You know, in Midtown." If I knew Bella at all, she was fidgeting with something on the other end of the line. She always kept her hands busy when she was anxious.

"I can do that. What time?"

"Can you be there in a half hour?" she blurted out. I was a man, but I needed to get ready none-the-less.

"Can you give me an hour? I still have to shower and page my driver." Now _my_ voice sounded a bit squeaky.

She sighed loudly. "That's fine. I'll see you then." The call ended before I had a chance to respond. I tossed my cell on the bed and went straight for the bathroom. A half hour later I was showered, shaved, dressed, and headed downstairs to meet my driver.

"Good Morning, Mr. Cullen." I smiled at the salt and pepper haired man waiting with the car door open. Sam had started working for me several years ago. He was a widower from northern New Jersey, with no kids and no desire to stay on that side of the Hudson anymore. He rented an apartment several blocks away from mine, which meant I never had to wait very long for him to arrive.

"Good Morning, Sam." I settled into the seat and raked a hand through my hair nervously. I was worried sick that Bella planned on telling me she could no longer represent me, or even worse, that she could no longer be associated with me. As much as I hated to admit it, I had grown rather fond of her in the last month, and the thought of not having her in my life stung.

"Where are we headed this morning?" Sam was staring at me in the rearview mirror with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I took a deep breath and composed myself.

"The Starbucks on Broadway and 60th," I told him. Traffic was unusually light, which was both a good and a bad thing; good because I didn't have much time to mull over my concerns about Bella, and bad because it meant our inevitable "talk" would happen that much sooner.

Sam glanced at me in the rearview mirror again. "Something on your mind today, Mr. Cullen?"

I chuckled softly. Jessica had always told me I was transparent when it came to my emotions. I guess I hadn't changed much since then. "Just thinking about the ladies, Sam. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Sam smiled and shook his head. "Kids these days…" He pulled the car to a stop in front of Starbucks and came around to open my door. I stepped out and looked through the shop window. Bella was already seated at a table towards the back.

"I'm not sure how long I'll be and I don't want you to have to wait around all day. Just head home and I'll grab a taxi." I started to turn around but Sam's hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Edward." My eyes widened in surprise. Sam had never used my first name before. "It's not my business, so please stop me if you feel I'm out of line, but I've never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her." He looked over my shoulder and back at me with a smile.

My gaze fell to the sidewalk. "I don't know what you're talking about," I lied.

"You just don't see it yet, son." Sam released his grip on me and patted my back. "Bella is a keeper. She reminds me a lot of my Kate. Be gentle with her, Edward. She's not like the rest of them." With that, he got back in the Town car. I stared at the car as it disappeared into the Times Square traffic. I took a deep breath and headed into Starbucks, ordering my usual caramel macchiato and making my way to the table Bella sat at.

"Hey," I said, sitting down across from her. She looked up at me and smiled nervously.

"You're early," she remarked, taking a sip of her drink. I nodded and wrung my hands together under the table.

"Traffic was abnormally agreeable for a Saturday." Green eyes met brown eyes and I could see apprehension mirrored in them. She took a deep breath and looked over my shoulder and out the window. I waited until the silence became uncomfortable to say anything. "So, you wanted to talk about something?"

I couldn't quite read her expression. She stared out the window for a bit longer before fixing her eyes on me. "Last night was … incredible, to say the least." My eyes widened in surprise and she immediately started to blush. "I know, Cullen, I never anticipated sitting here and telling you how fantastic you are in bed either."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Thank you?"

She put her hand up to stop me from speaking further. "Don't thank me, Edward. Please don't thank me. This arrangement-" she gestured between us with her hand, "is wrong on so many levels. I'm supposed to be representing you, not getting down and dirty with you." She winced as she said the last few words.

"Look, I won't say anything to anyone, okay? We can forget anything ever happened and resume our usual roles come Monday." Everything she said pissed me off. I knew I wasn't the purest guy in the city, but I didn't appreciate being made to feel like a scumbag.

"I don't want to forget," Her whisper was so soft I barely heard it. My eyes popped open in shock, again, and I choked a bit on my drink. "That's the problem, Edward. I don't want to forget what happened … and I don't want it to be the only time it happens either."

"So what does that mean? You want to be colleagues with benefits?" I joked.

She shook her head again and looked down at her hands. "I don't do these kinds of things. I don't just go out and sleep with men I've only known for a few weeks."

"It's been a month," I offered up, hoping to make her feel a bit better. Her lips curved upwards in a tiny smile before she got back on the soapbox.

"I don't think I could proceed with you as 'just my client'" she held her fingers up, making air quotes, "now that I've slept with you. I probably sound like a cliché girl, but I'd feel so cheap doing that. And I don't think I could pull off your whole colleagues with benefits idea either, because then I'd feel like you were only sticking with me as a publicist cause I was giving you a piece of ass, and that –" I reached across the table and covered her mouth with my hand, effectively silencing her. She furrowed her brows in frustration and reached up to pull my hand away, but I held a finger up, signaling for her to give me a minute.

"You're overanalyzing this way too much," I said gently. "I can't keep up with you. Let's go back to base one – you don't want to keep working with me if we've slept together, but you don't want to be colleagues with benefits either? What _do_ you want exactly? Do you have something in mind, is that why you asked me to meet you here?" She nodded and furrowed her brow again. I withdrew my hand and she took a deep breath.

I wasn't at all prepared for the words that left her mouth.

"I think we should go on a date."

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I wanted to cover my face and hide or run away. The mortification I felt at having slept with Edward last night was bad enough. Now, I had to go and make things all messy by proposing we do something that might actually help us get to know each other better.

This was precisely why I avoided one-night stands. Part of my heart was hard wired to my vagina, and it always ended up complicating things.

The surprise I could tell Edward felt was probably comparable to the humiliation coursing through my veins. _You shouldn't have said anything_ , my subconscious said smugly. I thought back to the photos I'd seen this morning on one of the many socialite blogs that existed. They consisted of Edward and I stumbling out of the club last night, hands all over one another and falling into the backseat of a taxi. The accompanying post pointed out the obvious - that we'd crossed the line between business and pleasure. I was already afraid of how this might impact my career, since up until now I hadn't been romantically linked with any of my clients. Now I also had to worry about my parents, mainly my dad, catching wind of the situation. My mother's guilty pleasure was trolling gossip websites, and she was too much of a space cadet to realize she probably shouldn't let Charlie see any of the content. Yes, I was almost thirty, and yes, I was more than capable of making my own decisions, but my dad still had his police officer instincts and loved to dig up ammunition to use against me, especially when it came to my dating life. I didn't even want to think about his reaction if he discovered his "baby girl" was canoodling with one of the many manwhores in Manhattan.

That left me with a few routes to take. I could talk to Alice on Monday, explain the situation to her, and have her or one of the interns represent Edward. She wouldn't be happy, but I knew she'd do it for me given the circumstances. Of course, that also opened up the possibility of Edward seeking alternate representation, and I knew Alice would be less than thrilled if that happened. I could continue working with him like nothing had ever happened and try my best to minimize the amount of time we spent together in public, but that would be virtually impossible now since his best friend was dating my best friend. I was also positive I couldn't look him in the eye in a _purely_ professional manner again after the things we'd done with each other. I could keep sleeping with him. I was sure he wouldn't object, and I knew if I asked him he'd agree to keep it on the down low, but I wasn't exactly sure how long he usually stayed with one woman and I didn't want to create an even bigger mess before his book released. Plus my heart was already starting to get involved, and I didn't want to end up emotionally attached to someone who saw me as nothing more than a good time all along.

That left me with the final option that came to mind, right before I'd phoned him this morning. I could be honest with Edward and tell him how much I enjoyed last night and tell him that I didn't want things to end there. I could hope that I was right in thinking he felt something for me too, because if he didn't, why would he spend so much time and effort trying to get to know me and get me to go places with him. And why would he apologize when he knew he hurt me if he didn't care somewhat?

So, here I was, waiting in embarrassed silence for the answer to the question I probably never should have ventured to ask.

"You want to go on a date?" his voice was colored with disbelief. "Like, an actual date? Where I'm allowed to pick you up and buy you flowers and perhaps even hold your hand in public?"

I snorted back an impending burst of laughter and grinned at him. Edward Cullen actually looked flustered. I wondered how many women managed to bring him to that point.

"Yes, an _actual_ date." I debated whether to share my logic in asking with him, but decided not to.

" _You're_ asking _me_ out on a date?" I felt my heart start to drop when I saw the smirk dance on his lips. "You never fail to surprise me, Ms. Swan. You're nothing if not unconventional."

"You mean to tell me you've never had a woman ask you out?"

He shook his head and his smirk turned into a grin. "Not since about the seventh grade. I am, however, honored that you were the first in so many years to do so. And I would love to go out on a date."

I resisted the urge to jump up and squeal. "It might be necessary to implement some ground rules beforehand."

Edward chuckled. "You and your ground rules. Exactly what rules did you have in mind?"

"Well, I already broke my no sex until after five dates rule, so that one is out the door." I shivered involuntarily as thoughts of last night passed through my mind. "Really, all I ask is that you don't mention anything about said date, and any possible future dates, when you're interviewed. I don't think flaunting it would benefit you at this point. Or, well, really, ever because I'm not exactly of the social caliber of Rosalie or Emmett-" He held his hand up again, silencing me.

"You're rambling again." His green eyes sparkled in amusement. "My lips are sealed if that's what you'd like. And I could care less about anyone's social status. That's one of what I like to refer to as 'the many misconceptions of Edward Cullen.'"

"Whew. Well, then, I guess we're in business."

"We've been in business for a while," he said, eyes still twinkling. "I think now we're in … courting?"

I laughed and held my cup in the air. "To courtship," I said with the faintest hint of sarcasm in my voice. He smiled and tapped his cup against mine.

"To courtship."

I pushed my cup away and picked at my nails nervously. "Does next Friday work for you?

He gazed up at me through his eyelashes. The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly and he leaned forward. "Pick you up at seven?"

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

It didn't take a genius to know that something strange was going on with Edward.

Having known him since college, I was pretty familiar with his ways. Granted we didn't maintain constant contact in the years after we graduated, I saw him around town enough and talked to Jasper enough to know how he was, especially with women. I hadn't seen him show an ounce of emotion since Jessica, and up until a month ago I was convinced I'd probably never see him show any again.

Then Bella Swan came along.

It wasn't an overnight change, but he was definitely acting different. He didn't seem quite so cocky, he wasn't going out as much, and he was always present whenever I went out with Rose and her friends. Friends of mine who ran in the same circles as him said he wasn't "chasing as much tail" as he used to either, which left us all perplexed.

I always was a nosey bastard. Meeting Jasper for a beer on Saturday afternoon seemed like a good way to get some answers.

"How did you get Rose to let you out?" Jasper joked, taking a pull of his beer and popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth. Years ago we used to frequent this bar every weekend. The staff had changed with time, but the décor and the crowd remained the same.

"She's not like that, my friend. Besides, I've only been seeing her for what, a month? No girl owns me after a month."

"Bullshit." Jasper smirked. "That's right, I call bullshit. I've seen the way you look at her. You practically orbit around her when you're together. Don't tell me you wouldn't bend over backwards for that girl if she asked you to."

I smiled sheepishly. He was right, of course. I was completely smitten with Rosalie. I still had my pride, however, and I didn't want everyone to know how whipped I was quite yet.

"Speaking of orbiting," I saw this as a good time to change the topic. "What's up with Cullen? Bella Swan's pussy must be made of gold."

Jasper choked on a peanut. "What are you talking about?"

"C'mon Whitlock, don't be like that." I tipped my beer back and drained it, sliding the empty glass across the bar and signaling the bartender for another one. "You know Edward better than anyone. You can't tell me you haven't noticed the change in his behavior."

"Could you be more specific?" Jasper fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt. _Gotcha,_ I thought triumphantly. He knew something and I was determined to pull it out of him.

"Well, for starters, he's not drilling any new notches in his bedpost. That fact alone is enough to cause alarm." I ticked my reasons off on my fingers. "He seems humbled. He's always around whenever Bella is there. They're photographed together every time I turn around. And he was rather quick to come to her rescue Friday night after the whole red carpet debacle." I watched Jasper carefully, waiting for his reaction.

"I…" he sighed and fisted a hand in his hair. "I don't know what's going through Bella's mind, but Edward is just playing along. At least he _was_ at first. I'm not sure that's the case anymore."

"What do you mean 'playing along?'" This didn't sound good.

Jasper pushed his beer away and turned his body to face me. He looked gravely serious. "If I tell you this, you have to swear on all that's holy that you won't flap your gums to Rosalie. We'll all be hosed if you do."

"It can't be that bad," I started, but stopped when Jasper fixed me with a glare. I swallowed and held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright, I swear I won't say anything to Rose."

"Edward is putting on a façade," he began to explain. "You see, it all started last month with this bet…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know who more people will line up to club after this chapter - Jasper or Emmett. LOL. ;)
> 
> Reviews = love, so please, by all means, leave some!
> 
> Visit my blog for teasers, pictures, music, and more inspiration for all my fanfic writing -- www.blueeyedcherryfanfiction.com
> 
> I think that's about it! Put on your seat belts, because the ride has officially begun with this chapter! :)
> 
> xoxo


	10. The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Chloe Masen for your beautiful beta job! You're an angel and ILY like whoa! And for everyone who hasn't checked out CM's writing - I'm ordering you to do so, hehe. She's got a set of amazing WIPs that are just waiting for all my fellow fanfic junkies to devour! ;)
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

"Bella? Bella? Earth to Bella!" Alice snapped her fingers in front of my eyes several times, dragging me out of my Cullen-induced stupor and into reality.

"What is wrong with you today?" Rose poked my arm and frowned at me. "You barely touched your breakfast and I don't think you've managed to say three whole words since we got here."

I picked up my spoon and shoveled a glob of porridge into my mouth. I chewed it slowly, buying myself a little more time before having to provide my best friends with an explanation for my uncharacteristic behavior.

"Seriously Bell, what's going on?" Alice turned in her seat so she faced me.

"I'm sorry, honestly, I'm just distracted." I wasn't ready to admit I'd become a victim of Cullen's charms.

"As if _that_ wasn't obvious already," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

Alice saw right through me. "I'm not buying it, Swan. _Something_ happened between Friday and now that you're not telling us."

"I'm still mad at you for Friday night, so don't push my buttons," I teased, poking my spoon in Alice's face. She leaned back and swatted the spoon away, fixing me with a serious stare.

"It isn't funny, Bella. You're starting to scare me."

I gave Rose a pleading glance but all she did was nod her head in agreement with Alice.

I pushed my porridge away and rested my forehead against the tabletop. I sighed before allowing the words to tumble from my lips in a fast, almost inaudible sentence. "I slept with Edward."

Rose dropped her fork and knocked over her glass of water. Alice choked on the piece of melon she was chewing.

"You WHAT?" Rose yelled the last word, causing several tables of restaurant patrons to train their eyes on us. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment, both at Rose's outburst and my confession.

"Isabella Marie Swan, did I hear you correctly?" When Alice used someone's full name, she meant business. "Did you just say you slept with Edward Cullen?"

I lifted my head and nodded, keeping my eyes fixed on the tabletop. I knew the girls would be supportive regardless of the outcome, but I didn't want to see the expressions on their faces quite yet.

"Can we get our check?" Rose asked our waitress. "We should continue this conversation in the car."

"I'll buy today," I said, reaching into my purse and grabbing my wallet. "I dropped the bomb on breakfast after all." I finally looked up and met Rose's eyes, which were filled with worry. Alice looked like she had something to say, but my confession seemed to have rendered her speechless. _Mark it on the calendar, ladies and gentlemen, I, Bella Swan, have officially managed to make the queen of chatter, Alice Erickson, shut the fuck up._

We finished our beverages in silence while the waitress ran my card. I signed the credit slip and slid my coat on before following my friends outside to the Lincoln that awaited us.

"When did this happen?" Alice asked as soon as we were seated. _That was a short-lived reprieve,_ I thought to myself.

"Friday night," I answered. My beating around the bush days had ended the minute I asked Edward to go on a date with me. "We went back to his place after we left the club. We were both pretty drunk and one thing led to another…"

"Did you spend the night or did he give you the infamous Edward Cullen boot after it happened?" Rose's eyes locked with mine and I could tell she was deciding whether she would need to put her bitch pants on the next time she saw him or not.

"I spent the night," I confessed. "But I left before he woke up on Saturday. I didn't know what else to do at the time."

"You do realize Edward Cullen hasn't let a woman spend the night in his apartment since before we even lived in Manhattan?" Alice's eyes were wide with shock and a small smile danced on her lips. "I _knew_ it would only be a matter of time before something started up between the two of you!"

"So you bolted before he got up? Have you talked to him since?" Rose continued her line of questions, ignoring Alice's last statement.

I nodded and looked out the car window. "I met him for coffee that afternoon."

"And…?" Alice squeezed my hand in a gesture of support and encouragement to continue.

"I was a complete wreck when I got home that morning," I admitted. By now all my nervousness had melted away and I just wanted to get everything off my chest. "You both know me, I don't do things like this. I've never been a one-night-stand type of gal, so when I was busy doing the cab ride of shame home on Saturday morning, I was completely mortified! This obviously could never be a one-night-stand situation since I represent him and all. So, I thought about it, and I realized, I kind of like this guy. Once you get past the cocky exterior he really isn't so bad to be around, you know?"

Alice's eyes glimmered with excitement. "This is so cute!" she exclaimed, interrupting me and earning a glare from Rose. She rolled her eyes and sunk back in her seat, pretending to zip her mouth shut and throw away the key.

I couldn't help but smile. Alice wanted me to find a boyfriend more than _I_ wanted me to find one. "Anyway, I took a nice, long bath and thought about everything. And then it dawned on me – I had a _really_ good time with Edward on Friday night. Not just the sex – which was _incredible_ , by the way – the entire evening was fun. I wanted to see him again, but I didn't want it to be some casual sex fling thing, because we all know how those end, and I don't want to fuck up the business arrangement we've got going either. So…" My words trailed off as a wave of uncertainty churned in my stomach. I wasn't sure how my friends would react to the idea of Edward and I going on a date. It was a purely unprofessional move on my part, but I just didn't know what else to do.

The car came to a stop in front of Rose's apartment and we climbed out. "So what, Swan? Spit it out, you've got us both on pins and needles here!"

I exhaled the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "So I asked him to go on a date with me."

"OH MY GOD BELLA, THAT'S GREAT!" Alice screeched, launching herself across the sidewalk at me. I staggered backwards in surprise as she flung her arms around my neck in a trademark "Alice-Erickson-is-excited-as-all-hell" hug.

Rose laughed and pulled our favorite little pixie off of me. "Don't get your panties in a twist quite yet, Al, she hasn't even told us what he said!"

I pulled a cigarette from my purse and lit it, closing my eyes and taking a long drag before answering. "We're going out on Friday night."

Alice's arms were around my neck once again. "Iz, do you realize how _huge_ this is? Edward Cullen doesn't date _anyone_ – ever! The fact that you've managed to get spend time with him not one, but two weekends in a row, _and_ get him to go out with you is monumental! He _has_ to have feelings for you."

Rose let us inside and we kicked off our shoes. Alice immediately perched herself on the love seat while I took a seat on the couch across from her.

"Do you know what you're going to do yet? For your date, I mean." Rose tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and plopped down on the couch next to me, pulling her knees up to her chest.

I shook my head. "No, we didn't decide on anything yet. He said he'd pick me up at seven. I would guess we'll probably discuss it more on Thursday when we meet for his interview with the Journal."

"This is all so exciting!" Alice clapped her hands together like a giddy girl. "How long has it been since you were on a date, Bell?"

"Too long to remember," I joked. Truth be told, it had been at least a year since I attempted to fan any romantic flames.

"I think a trip to Madison Avenue is in order!" Alice stood up and started pacing the living room. "We need to find you a cute dress for the occasion, and maybe a pair of Manolos to go with it!"

"Hold that thought train, Alice." Rose stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Bella doesn't even know where they're going yet. Location is the first step, _then_ comes fashion coordination."

"You have a valid point." Alice crossed one arm over her chest and started tapping her index finger against the corner of her mouth. "Why don't you call him right now and toss some ideas out there? We at least need to have you accessorized before Friday rolls around!"

I shook my head and pushed my arms out in front of me. "Slow down here sweetie. I'd like to have a couple days to process all of this before I'm dragged through the doors of the Alice Erickson Charm School."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Bell is right. Let her get things figured out and _then_ we can assist if she wants." Rose winked at me and I mouthed the words "thank you" to her. Having known Alice her entire life, Rose had long ago perfected the art of calming the pixie down.

"Fine, fine, I'll stop." Alice bit her lip in contemplation. "I really do want to go look at Manolos though. Are you guys up for it?"

"Oh no, no, no, not so fast there Shorty." Rose shook her finger at Alice. "We need to tackle the invitations for Em's surprise party before going anywhere. You promised me you'd help with those and today is the only day our schedules meshed."

Alice frowned. "I forgot about that." She grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number, heading for Rose's balcony. "I need to call Jasper and tell him I might be late for dinner tonight. Give me five minutes?"

Once Alice was outside, Rose turned to me and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Bella, promise me something, please?" Her face was filled with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's _wrong_ , I just…" Rose's voice trailed off. She tugged nervously on her hair before continuing. "Be careful with Edward, okay? I'm not saying he doesn't feel anything for you, but Emmett and I have talked about him a few times, and he's got some real issues Bell. I don't want to see you get hurt."

I smiled and gave Rose a small hug. I could always count on her to have my back, and that was one of the things I loved most about her. "I'll be careful, I promise. His reputation alone screams 'proceed with caution'."

Rose smiled and squeezed my hands in hers. "You deserve a man who will make you the center of his world, Bella. I hope you realize you don't have to settle for anything less."

She turned and headed toward her study to get the supplies we needed for the party invitations. I took a deep breath and wrapped my arms around myself protectively.

So Edward had issues. Didn't we all? I was half tempted to ask Rose exactly what issues they were, but I decided not to. I wanted to find out everything I could about him, and I wanted to do it without any outside influences in my ear. Besides, Alice said it herself; he wouldn't have let me spend the night after our rendezvous if he didn't feel _something_ for me, right?

 _You're in so much trouble,_ my subconscious chided. As much as I didn't want to believe her, I knew the snarky bitch was right.

I knew I couldn't turn back now, but I also couldn't help but wonder if I was fully prepared for everything I was getting myself into.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I turned the up volume on my iPod and increased the incline on the treadmill. I'd been running for the past ten minutes and had barely broken a sweat. Today of all days I wanted to feel the burn in my muscles that accompanied a good, hard workout. I needed something to distract me from the pain of arousal I felt in my groin every time thoughts of Bella crossed my mind.

It had been five days since we met for coffee and I still hadn't fully digested the fact that we were going on a date tomorrow night. Yeah, it was for the bet and all, but Sam was right when he said that Bella was special, and even though I wasn't emotionally invested in the journey we were about to embark on, I didn't feel right treating her like anything less than a princess.

 _Not emotionally invested my ass,_ a little voice in the back of my mind piped up. _You never would have let her spend the night after you shagged her if you weren't emotionally invested._

I sighed and pulled my ear buds out, slowing the treadmill down until it came to a stop. I took a large swig of water and draped my towel around my neck. There was no way I could concentrate on working out today. I was just about to enter the locker room when a familiar voice shouted at me.

"Edward!" I turned and saw Emmett standing next to the bench press. I smiled and headed in his direction.

"Hale, my friend, what's up?" I bumped my fist against Emmett's. "What brings you to this end of town?"

"Rose doesn't live too far from here and I've spent the past few nights at her place, so…" Emmett's ears turned pink and I laughed. Rosalie had him wrapped around every one of her fingers.

"Things are progressing in that department I take it?" I leaned against one of the weight machines and crossed my arms over my chest.

Emmett nodded. "Rose is amazing. I've never met anyone like her before. We just click." He shrugged and bit his lip. "I sound like a fucking cheeseball, but I can't imagine being with another woman. Ever. She's it for me."

"I'm happy for you, man. You deserve that." I said. Emmett always had a romantic side to him. Even during college, when girls threw themselves at him left and right, he stuck by Lauren's side and spoiled her rotten.

"Thanks, Edward." Emmett dropped his eyes to the floor and sat down on the edge of the bench press. "How are things going with Bella?" His question took me by surprise.

"Oh, you know, she's feisty as ever. I didn't quite realize what I was signing up for when I picked her for a publicist."

Emmett didn't look too happy. "I know what's going on, Cullen. You don't have to put on some act for me." He ran a hand through his hair and met my eyes. "Bella is a wonderful woman, she doesn't deserve to have her heart jerked around like this."

"How do you…" my voice trailed off as the answer came to me. _Jasper!_ I thought. I couldn't believe he went and ran his mouth after we specifically agreed to keep the bet between the two of us. "What did he tell you?"

"Everything," Emmett admitted. I closed my eyes and fisted my hair in my hands. This was just fucking perfect. Before long the entire town would know and then what the fuck was I supposed to do? _I knew I should have ended this bet last week_.

"Look, Emmett…" I tried to think of the right words to say. "You can't breathe a word of this to anyone. I'll fix everything, I swear, but Bella _can't_ know about this bet. Ever."

"Do you realize what kind of position you're putting me in by asking me to keep my mouth shut for you? Rosalie would kill me if she found out I didn't come clean immediately after Jasper told me."

"I know, I know, just, please Em," I begged. "As soon as my book comes out I'll find someone else to represent me."

"Or you could try swallowing some of that pride you're always choking on and see where things go." Emmett lowered his voice and leaned towards me. "I know everything that happened with Jessica killed you, but that was years ago and Bella isn't her."

"Believe me, I know," I muttered.

"Good. Then I trust you'll find a way to fix this so I don't have to tell Rose," Emmett said, standing up and clapping his hand down on my shoulder.

"We have a date tomorrow night," I blurted out. Emmett narrowed his eyes at me.

"Unfuckingbelievable," he muttered angrily. "If you go through with that date, it better be for all the right reasons and not just for a glorified beach house in the Hamptons."

I swallowed hard and nodded solemnly. "I never would have agreed to go if it wasn't for the right reasons." The lie left my mouth before I had a chance to think about it. _Is it really a lie though?_ My subconscious always picked the worst moments to chime in with his two cents.

"I hope you mean that." Emmett scooted back on the bench press and lay down. "You're not the dirt bag you make yourself out to be, Edward. If you'd let yourself feel something aside from regret for a change you might see that."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Emmett was already in position to do his reps. I grabbed my towel and headed for the locker room once again.

I was going to kill Jasper. The fact that he told Emmett was bad enough, but from the sounds of it, he also went so far as to make it seem like this whole thing had been _my_ idea. _This is such bullshit_ , I thought. Jasper proposed the bet in the first place. I was just dumb enough to accept.

I turned the shower on and started scrubbing my body furiously. I was supposed to be at my parent's house by six for dinner and I still needed to go over my clients' portfolios before I got there. On top of that, after the Journal interview this morning I'd told Bella I would call her tonight with details for tomorrow.

 _Where the hell are you going to take her?_ I asked myself. I wasn't exactly a relationship expert, and I sure as hell couldn't ask my "best friend" for any advice in the area – he'd probably put up a billboard in Times Square broadcasting the schedule for the night!

I leaned my head against the shower wall and closed my eyes, resisting the urge to upchuck.

How – and why – the fuck did I get myself into this mess?

* * *

**Bella's POV**

My palms were sweating, my knees were damn near shaking, and my mouth was so dry I could hardly talk. Edward was scheduled to pick me up in ten minutes and I was freaking the fuck out.

I didn't understand why I was so nervous. This wasn't the first occasion we'd spent time alone together, and it probably wouldn't be the last. _Yes, but this time there's expectations,_ my subconscious chimed in. The fact that I hadn't been out with anyone in ages didn't help matters any either. I was fairly confident that the rules and regulations of the dating game had been edited and rewritten multiple times since I'd last set foot on the field. I was stepping up to bat as a rookie and it scared the shit out of me.

My apartment buzzer went off and I jumped. I took a deep breath and grabbed my coat and purse off the back of the couch. When I opened the door I was greeted by a familiar set of green eyes and the accompanying panty-melting smirk. I stood and gaped at him for several minutes before an awkward silence settled in.

He cleared his throat and shifted back and forth on his feet. "So… Can I come in?" I nodded and held the door open wider. Edward's arm brushed against mine as he walked past me, sending a surge of white-hot electricity through the entire left side of my body. I closed the door and turned to face him.

"It's nowhere near the size of yours, but it suits me quite well." I gestured to the space around us. Edward stepped forward and handed me a small rectangular shaped box.

"Flowers were too predictable. Truffles fresh from Paris, on the other hand … well, not many women can say they got that on a first date." He smiled at my awed expression. "My mom was in France for two days for business and I had her bring them back for you."

I slid my finger under the wrapping and pulled it away. Edward stepped forward and took the paper from me, setting it down on the hall table and lifting the lid off the chocolates. He picked one up and held it out to me. I closed my eyes and opened my mouth, and he placed the truffle on my tongue. I allowed the chocolate to melt just a bit before I bit into it. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever tasted.

"Oh my God, Edward, this is delicious." I opened my eyes and smiled at him. For someone who didn't do relationships, he certainly knew how to woo a woman with chocolate.

"I'm glad you like them." He took the box from me and replaced the lid, setting it down next to the wrapping. "You look beautiful tonight, Bella. I mean, you always look beautiful, but tonight it's just exceptional." Edward stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor.

"Edward Cullen, are you flustered?" I cocked my head to the side and smirked. His cheeks flushed with a blush and he shrugged.

"You've flustered me since the first day I met you," he whispered, lifting his eyes so they met mine. A tiny burst of happiness exploded in my chest and I bit my lip to avoid the one hundred megawatt smile that wanted to show itself.

I stepped forward and grabbed his hand in mine, pulling him towards the door. "C'mon Cullen, leave the flustered part of you behind. I'll be gentle tonight, I promise." I looked over my shoulder and winked at him. He chuckled and tightened his grip on my fingers.

"So, where are we going?" I asked. Edward sparked my curiosity last night when he called to tell me to dress casual for our get together. I was used to guys going all-out on the first date. Then again, this was Edward, and he hardly ever did anything I expected.

"I was thinking we could start with dinner at this awesome burger joint on the NYU campus." His eyes shimmered with excitement. "Then there's this pub and peanut bar a couple blocks away that has live music and cheap beer on Friday nights."

"So that explains the casual dress code," I joked. Edward chuckled.

"Yes, Ms. Swan, _that_ explains the casual dress code. Unless, of course, you have somewhere else you'd rather go after dinner that also accommodates our jeans and t-shirt attire this evening."

I tipped my head back and laughed. I felt giddy, like I was sixteen all over again and going on a date with my high school crush. "No, no, no, hamburgers and beer is perfect! In fact, I can't think of a better idea for a first date."

Edward held the door to the Town Car open for me and I slid across the seat. He lowered himself into the spot next to me, taking my hand in his once again after we settled in.

"Sam, I'd like you to formally meet Bella Swan. Bella, this is my driver, Sam."

"Nice to meet you!" I greeted him. I locked eyes with the older man in the rearview mirror, and he tipped the brim of the black paperboy cap he wore.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Swan." His gaze shifted to Edward. "Where are we headed tonight Mr. Cullen?"

"Double Bite," Edward answered.

"I've never been there," I said, looking over at Edward.

"You're about to find out what you've been missing." He patted his stomach and squeezed my hand. "I hope you brought your appetite."

"I _always_ bring my appetite, especially when there's meat involved." I cringed as soon as the words left my mouth. "I totally didn't mean for that to sound the way it did. I just love my beef." _Just stop talking already, Bella._ I slapped my palm against my forehead and looked out the window.

Edward laughed and leaned over so his lips were just inches from my ear. "It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's flustered." I shivered at the feel of his breath on my neck.

Sam pulled the car to a stop and Edward jumped out, running around the back so he could open my door for me. I waved a small goodbye to Sam and followed Edward inside the restaurant. The décor was trendy yet simple; giant circular shaped red, green, blue, and yellow paper lantern lights hung from the ceiling. The walls were covered in old signs for everything ranging from a John Deere tractor to a five-cent candy bar. The tabletops were covered with a clear lacquer, beneath which someone had strategically placed comic and cartoon strips from across the decades. "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones pumped out of a 1950s style jukebox that stood in the far corner.

Double Bite was completely fucking cool – and entirely un-Edward like.

We placed our orders and took a seat at a booth close to the jukebox.

"How did you find out about this place?" I asked.

"Emmett, Jasper, and I used to come here all the time in college." He looked around the room and smiled nostalgically. "They renovated it some since then, but for the most part it hasn't changed a bit." A waiter showed up with our food and we dug in appreciatively.

"Alice, Rose, and I always went to Mr. Bartley's up in Cambridge," I said through a mouthful of my hamburger. I opened my mouth to continue and a loud belch came out. Edward burst out laughing.

"On a scale of one to ten, that one deserves an eight point five at least." He popped a fry in his mouth and wiggled his eyebrows at me. "The charm scale, I mean."

I covered my mouth in embarrassment. "Sorry, I haven't been on a date in so long the whole etiquette part escaped me."

"Relax, I was just teasing." He pushed his burger away and leaned toward me. "How does a woman like you not have a boyfriend? Bodily functions aside, you're quite the catch."

I smiled and shrugged. "I was sick of getting hurt, so I decided to take a break." I looked away briefly and then back at him. "What's your excuse, Cullen? Women practically trip over themselves in your presence. How come you aren't wifed up?"

He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes hardened, but not before I saw a flicker of sadness pass through them. "It was always easier for me to stay single. I'm not exactly husband material, and that never sat well with the ladies."

I frowned and focused my attention on playing with my straw. "What do you mean you're not 'husband material'? Once you get past the rough edges, you're a pretty great guy. You're successful, motivated, passionate about what you do, and you're not exactly hard on the eyes. Unless you've got some secret Dexteresque life going on, I really don't see what the problem is."

He shrugged and went back to eating his burger. "It goes deeper than that. But, we aren't here to discuss my psychological flaws. Tell me how you ended up in New York."

"To make a long story short, Alice needed a business partner and didn't trust anyone outside of Rose and me, and I couldn't imagine a life where I didn't see them on a daily basis."

Edward smiled. "They're lucky to have you in their lives."

"I think it's the other way around. I'm not sure who I'd be today had I not found those two."

We spent the rest of the meal continuing to get to know one another. Edward looked like he might choke when I told him my dad was a cop, which had me in hysterics for a good five minutes. I desperately wanted to meet his parents, especially after hearing stories about Carlisle's volunteer work with different charitable organizations throughout the city. I kept that piece of information to myself, however. The last thing I wanted to do was scare him away before I even booked a second date with him.

The armor around my heart got weaker and weaker the longer we talked. I didn't want to admit it, but I was fairly positive Edward had what it would take to break it down completely and win me over. Sure, we hadn't gotten off on the best foot, and it didn't sound like he was looking for anything serious, but this date alone was enough to make me believe things – and Edward – could change.

Maybe I wouldn't come to regret giving Edward Cullen a chance after all.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I watched as Bella's dart ricocheted off the board and hit the wooden floor. I shook my head and laughed, collecting all three of her darts from the floor.

"I can't believe I'm sucking so bad at this game!" She took a long pull from her beer and rested her hand on my forearm. "You have to believe me when I say I was actually good in college."

"I believe you," I said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to me. I nudged her forward until the tips of her toes were resting against the duct-taped line on the floor. I placed a dart in her hand and covered it with mine. "Follow my lead. I always use the knuckle of my thumb to aim the dart."

She leaned into me and I pulled her hand up into my line of sight. I rested my chin on her shoulder and aimed the dart for the number ten portion of the board. I took a few steps back and instructed her to throw. She let go of the dart and it sailed through the air, landing in the far outer ring of the board right next to the number ten.

"I did it!" She jumped up and down and flung her arms around my neck. I smiled against her head and placed my hands on her hips.

"That was an excellent throw, Bella. And for the record, not many people are good at darts after two pitchers of beer."

She laughed and cupped my face in her hands. Warm, chocolate eyes stared up at me and for a brief moment, I wondered where this woman had been all my life. "Let's get out of here."

I leaned in and brushed my lips against her cheek. "Does that mean our date is officially over?" I puckered my lips in an exaggerated pout. Bella slapped my chest playfully and drained the rest of her beer.

"Not if you don't want it to be," she sang out, shrugging into her coat and grabbing her purse. I tossed a few bills on the table for a tip and chased after her.

"It'll take at least twenty minutes for Sam to get here," I said once we were outside. She lit a cigarette and took a long drag. Her eyes were trained on the sky above. She spun around and stopped when she faced me.

"We don't need Sam, silly. I'll hail us a cab!" Bella stepped out into the street and held up her hand. "TAXI!"

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as she pulled me into the back of the car. I closed the door behind us and she blurted out her address.

"My place this time," she muttered, and the next thing I knew her mouth was crashing against mine. I grabbed her hair in my hands and slid my tongue between her lips, inhaling her scent. She dug her fingers into my shoulder blades and moaned.

"Hey you two, let's keep this cab ride PG rated please!" The driver said in annoyance. Bella laughed and tucked her head against my shoulder. I ran my fingers through her hair and down her arm, relishing in the way she trembled beneath my touch.

When the cab came to a stop, I tossed a few twenties in the front seat and told the driver to keep the change. Bella grabbed my hand and led me upstairs, unlocking the door to her apartment and dropping her purse and coat on the floor.

"God Bella, you're intoxicating," I mumbled just before her lips found mine again. I pushed her up against the wall and let my hands start to travel south. "We don't have to do this, you know. I didn't go out with you tonight just so I could get a happy ending."

She pulled away from me and looked into my eyes. "Thank you for saying that." She kissed me hard, fisting my hair in her hands. "I know I don't _have_ to do anything, but I _want_ to do this. I've wanted to do it again since I got my first taste last weekend."

"Me too, baby. You wouldn't believe how much." I unbuttoned her jeans and slid my hand into her panties. She was already wet with desire when I plunged two fingers into her. Her head tipped back and hit the wall and a loud moan fell from her lips. I pumped my fingers in and out of her fast, curling them forward so they hit her sweet spot on each upstroke. She grabbed my forearms to steady herself and bit down hard on my shoulder.

"Edward, please, make me cum," she moaned in my ear. I used my free hand to cup her chin and pull her face to mine. I tugged at her bottom lip with my teeth and rubbed my thumb against her clit.

"AHHH!" Her walls clenched down on my fingers and her body shook beneath me. I wrapped my arm around her waist to steady her and continued to massage her sensitive bud while she rode out her orgasm.

"Did that satisfy your want?" I whispered in her ear. Her head shot up and a wicked smile played on her lips.

"Not. Even. Close." She wiggled away from me and ran in the direction of what I assumed to be her bedroom. I followed eagerly, laughing when I saw her standing in the doorway. Her pants were around her knees, one hand was on her hip, and she was giving me the "come here" gesture with the other.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, Bella Swan was showing me exactly what I'd spent the past eight years missing.


	11. Two Steps Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated Valentine's Day to all - And Happy belated Birthday to my darling beta and close friend, Chloe Masen! ILY and thank you for everything you do each day for me hun!
> 
> I'll try to keep it short - I posted a new thread called Insider Trading, which will contain all of the outtakes for this story. The first one is posted, so head on over and check it out! More will come soon, and yes, there will be lemons eventually. ;)
> 
> Parts of this chapter hurt me to write. You've been warned. If I could put this fic in three categories, I'd add angst, because there's going to be angst throughout the story, but the prevailing themes are romance and humor, so please please please remember that while you're reading. :)
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM and RL locations belong to their rightful owners. Everything else belongs to me.

**Edward's POV**

The smell of French toast and bacon tickled my nostrils, waking me from my comfortable slumber. I stretched my arms over my head and squinted my eyes open. The sight of unfamiliar eggshell colored walls and light pink sheets greeted me. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes, trying to figure out exactly where I was. The sound of a familiar voice humming from the kitchen gave me my answer.

"Holy shit," I muttered to myself. I _never_ stayed at a woman's house. In fact, I couldn't even remember the last time I went back to a woman's house. I thought about the previous night and how much fun it was to take Bella out on an actual date. It had been years since I'd done anything like that, and even though it wasn't my style, I found myself wanting to do it again. Well, assuming it was with Bella. I still had no desire to date any of the other women on this island.

I felt a small twinge of an unrecognizable feeling in my stomach. _It's not that you don't recognize it, it's just that you haven't felt it in so long you've forgotten it,_ a tiny voice in the back of my head piped up.

"You're awake!" Bella exclaimed from the doorway. I looked over at her and couldn't help but smile. She was wearing nothing but my t-shirt from the night before. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and she had her glasses on. It took every ounce of my self-control to keep me from launching myself across the room and taking her right then and there on the floor.

"Good morning to you too," I said, pushing back the covers and standing up. Bella's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I looked down at my naked body. I chuckled and grabbed my boxer briefs off the floor, pulling them on and striding towards her. "Nothing you haven't seen before, right?"

"I, uh, made breakfast. I didn't know if you had somewhere to go or if you'd even be hungry, but I figured…" Her voice trailed off and the blush on her cheeks deepened in color. This woman was damn cute when she was nervous.

"Breakfast sounds great." I reached out and ran my fingertips down her jaw and neck before leaning forward and pressing my lips against hers softly. Her body melted against mine and her hands went to my hair immediately. I ran my tongue along her lips and she opened them, inviting me in for a taste. Our tongues swirled around together for several minutes before I had to pull away and catch my breath.

"Wow," she breathed, taking a few steps back and placing her hands on her hips. "This is not at all meant in some creepy, clingy, stalkerish way, but I honestly don't think I could tire of kissing you."

I laughed and swatted at her butt playfully. "You have no idea how many times I've heard that." Bella shook her head and rolled her eyes, leading the way to her small kitchen.

"Remind me not to pay you anymore compliments until after your book comes out. If your head gets any bigger there's a good chance you won't be able to fit through the door to your own release party!"

I dropped down in one of the dining chairs and laughed. "You'll probably have to ask them to widen the entrances as it is. I'm a loud and proud egotistical bastard."

"Please, tell me something I don't know." Bella set a plate of food and cup of coffee down in front of me.

I may have moaned when I bit into her French toast. "This tastes amazing. Who taught you how to cook?"

Bella's cheeks flushed once again. "I learned from my mom when I was younger. Neither one of us wanted to subject ourselves to Charlie's cooking, so we traded off meal planning while I was growing up."

"Well, if everything you made tasted like this, I'm quite sure Charlie was one happy camper."

"He lived his life surrounded by beautiful women and delicious food – what more could a man want?" She slipped a strawberry into her mouth and winked at me from across the table. I felt my dick twitch and imagined how good it would feel for me to be in her mouth.

What can I say? You can take the patron out of the restaurant but that doesn't mean his appetite is gone.

"So, I was wondering…" Bella's words trailed off and she started clearing the table. As I watched her move about the kitchen, I was transported back to a different time and a different apartment. Instead of Bella's stunning figure in front of me, I saw Jessica's, moving around in one of my button-down shirts, tipping her head back in laughter at my jokes, and looking at me with a ridiculous amount of love in her eyes. When Bella turned around to face at me, I saw the beginnings of what could someday be that same expression in her eyes.

"I know we just went out last night and all, but did you want to do something today? It's beautiful outside and you're here already." Bella sounded so hopeful. I closed my eyes and tried to swallow back the lump of fear that was quickly rising in my throat. I wanted to stay. I wanted to shower with her and take her to a movie and perhaps to a nice restaurant later. I wanted to bring her back to my place and worship her body in the same fashion I had last night and the Friday before. I wanted to take her to meet Carlisle and Esme and show her off to my colleagues at next month's holiday banquet.

But doing those things meant cutting my heart open and letting her in, making myself vulnerable and opening whatever we had up to the possibility of my fucking everything up. I couldn't do that - not to Bella or to myself. She was too good of a woman and she deserved so much more than I was willing – and able - to give her.

I had to keep some distance so that when this bet was all over, I didn't break her too much. I knew I couldn't live with myself if I did.

"I, uh, actually have a, uh, thing this afternoon," I sputtered out, standing up and heading towards the bedroom. "I should probably head home."

"Oh, okay." She followed me and started to peel off my t-shirt, but I put my hand on her arm gently to stop her.

"Keep the shirt. I can button mine up."

She bit her lower lip and crossed her arms protectively over her chest, looking away from me and out the window. "Am I going to see you again soon?"

"Of course," I said, tying my sneakers and grabbing my coat off the edge of her dresser. "We have a meeting on Wednesday and another interview on Thursday, right?"

Bella reeled back like she'd been slapped, but composed herself quickly. "Uh, yes, that's right." She shook her head a few times and looked up at me with an icy expression. "I guess I'll see you then."

"Thank you for breakfast." I stepped forward to kiss her lips, but she turned her head. I ignored the stab of pain in my chest and pressed my lips softly against her cheek instead before turning to leave.

I didn't bother calling a cab. I needed time to myself to process my thoughts.

I saw my long walk home as a chance to figure out what the hell I felt for Bella. Because the moment I left her apartment, I knew that she no longer fell into my "just a friend" category.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

Rose wasn't a morning person – especially on the weekends. I learned this the very first time I made the mistake of trying to wake her up early. She'd practically slapped me before yelling at me that nine am was too much and she always met her girls for brunch towards noon.

I hadn't tried waking her up before ten on a Saturday or Sunday since.

You can imagine my surprise when I rolled out of bed at eight thirty that Saturday and found my gorgeous girlfriend dressed, made up, and drinking coffee in the living room.

"Someone is up mighty early," I teased, kissing her cheek and rubbing her shoulders. She tipped her head back and smiled up at me.

"This someone has to meet her parents for lunch at Barney's this afternoon. That requires plenty of coffee and awake time."

I walked around the couch and sunk down next to her, resting my head against her shoulder. "I see. And to what occasion do you owe this lunch?"

"My older sister is getting married – again – and she's in town to get fitted for her dress," Rose explained. "We haven't seen each other since she moved to Colorado earlier this year, so my presence is requested."

"This wouldn't happen to be the same sister you couldn't stand two weeks ago, would it?"

Rose jabbed me playfully in the ribs. "Siblings are supposed to hate each other every few weeks. It's in our blood. Besides, Bree can be quite the handful at times, especially when she's the center of attention in the family like she is right now."

I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to me, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'm just giving you a hard time babe. Feel free to hate away."

I leaned my head back against the cushions and closed my eyes. I'd been debating whether or not to out Edward and Jasper's bet since I talked to Cullen at the gym two days earlier. Edward's book didn't come out for another couple of weeks, and even though he swore up and down he'd fix things after it was released, that seemed like too much time to let this go on.

I'd never been in a situation that caused me as much internal conflict as this one was. On one hand, it wasn't my business and I knew I shouldn't be butting my nose in. Actions had consequences, and both Jasper and Edward would find that out the hard way when word of the bet surfaced. On the other hand, Bella was Rose's best friend, and Rose was my girlfriend, which left me obligated to spill the beans. If I didn't, and Rose found out in the future, things would crumble, and I didn't want that to happen.

My motives were more selfish than anything at that point, but as I held her in my arms on the couch, I knew I had to tell her.

"Can I talk to you about something?" I asked. Rose sat up and turned so she was facing me.

"Of course. You can talk to me about anything," she said, fixing me with an intense gaze. I took a deep breath and pulled at a loose thread on my sweatshirt. I had no idea how to start the conversation.

"Before I say anything, please promise me you'll at least try to control that temper of yours. The last thing this building needs is a Rosalie Smith explosion." The corners of my mouth turned up in a smile and Rose's followed suit. I hoped that by getting her to laugh now I'd soften the blow that was coming.

"Perhaps you shouldn't tell me anything," she joked. "Do I need to get a drink? Maybe a valium? Isn't it a little early to lay something this heavy on me?"

"No, but, I should probably take my morning leak before I get started. I'm pretty sure my pissing my pants on your couch wouldn't be appreciated."

Rose rolled her eyes and tossed a pillow at me. "That's really mature, Hale. How old did you say you were again?"

"Old enough to know better but too young to care," I called over my shoulder as I headed for the restroom. I took a piss, washed my hands, and splashed some cold water on my face. After a few deep breaths and a short face-to-face pep talk with myself in the mirror, I felt ready to spill the beans to Rose.

When I opened the bathroom door, however, I could hear her voice coming from the living room.

"Bella, take a deep breath and calm down, please." Rose was standing by the window talking on her cell phone.

"What's wrong?" I mouthed. She furrowed her brow and shrugged her shoulders.

"So he just left? Without an explanation?" Rose nodded her head, even though Bella clearly couldn't see her. "I'll be over shortly, hun. Just sit tight and try to relax." Rose hung up the phone and turned to face me.

"What's going on?" I didn't even need to ask to know that the "he" she referred to was Edward.

"That asshole you and Jasper call your buddy took Bella out last night, spent the night at her place, and then left abruptly after breakfast." Rose grabbed her coat from the hall closet. "He didn't even give her an explanation, just some lame excuse about having 'something to do' in the afternoon. Then he managed to evade the question of whether or not they were going out again. I _knew_ this was going to happen."

"Rose-" Her stern look stopped me in my tracks.

"Don't try to make any excuses for him, Emmett. I thought him taking her out might have meant something, but clearly I shouldn't have been so quick to give that green-eyed monster the benefit of the doubt." She was out the door before I could get any more words in.

I sunk down on the couch and lowered my head to my hands. Perhaps I didn't give Edward enough credit. From the sounds of it, he'd certainly managed to put an end to things, although not in the most tactful way. Bella was hurt, but I didn't doubt the pain now was far less intense than it had the potential to be.

I felt ashamed by the fact that this development relieved me. Edward got me off the hook however, and now we could all proceed forward as if this bet had never existed in the first place.

I went back to the bedroom in search of my phone. The first thing I needed to do was call Jasper and let him know what happened.

Then I needed to call Cullen and chew his ass out.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

On Wednesday morning, I didn't want to get out of bed. For the first time in years I thought about calling in sick. Alice wasn't stupid though, and since Rose had filled her in on what happened with Edward, she'd put two and two together in no time.

Being the hopeless romantic she was, the little pixie brat remained convinced the whole idea of dating intimidated Edward and he was too embarrassed to admit that to me. She instructed me to give him a week or two to gather his thoughts and _then_ freak out if I still hadn't heard from him.

Rose, on the other hand, was Team Kick-That-Bastard-To-The-Curb-Right-Now. According to her, second chances were like trust; they had to be earned, and so far, Edward hadn't earned anything. I tended to gravitate to her side of the fence, but there was a part of me that didn't want to let go of Alice's prerogative.

I took my time getting ready and making sure not a single hair was out of place. If Edward did mean to give me the boot, I didn't want him to think it had any real effect on my emotions or my ability to work with him.

My cool composure disappeared as soon as he strode into my office.

"Good morning, beautiful," he sang out, setting two Starbucks cups down on the table. He walked around my desk and kissed my cheek before letting his eyes roam up the length of my entire body. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes today!"

"How original," I scoffed. It was impossible to stay upset – or avoid being dazzled – when I saw his playful expression. "Did you bring everything I asked you to?"

"Yes, ma'am." Edward opened his portfolio and pulled out several pieces of paper. "Final guest list, menu selections, and book shipment details." He handed the papers to me and settled into his usual seat.

"Perfect! Carmen should be here any minute." We were meeting with one of the event managers from the W to finalize all of the arrangements for the book release party, which was now a mere three weeks away.

"Did you have a good rest of the weekend?" Edward's eyes fell on me and he smiled. I took a sip of my latte, wondering how to best answer his question.

"It wasn't so bad. I spent a lot of time with Alice and Rose. How about you?"

He lifted his coffee to his lips and glanced at the clock. "Mine was good. Hit the gym, visited my parents, did some grocery shopping. Nothing too eventful I guess."

"No Jasper? Aren't you two usually attached at the hip at some point between Friday and Monday?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

Edward looked uncomfortable. "Our schedules haven't exactly meshed as of late," he explained. I could tell he was lying, but I knew it wasn't my place to ask. "Besides, he has Alice attached to his hip now. Which is good – I've never seen him happier."

"Speaking of Alice…" my voice trailed off and I looked up at my friend, who was now perched in the doorway.

"The event manager from the W is here," Alice explained, standing aside so Carmen could enter the office. I smiled at Alice and she winked at me before closing the door.

An hour and a half later, everything was in place for the party. Carmen was contacting the caterer and an event designer, I was working with the publisher and sending out the invitations, and Edward got to sit back, relax, and watch everything come together.

Despite my confusion surrounding where we stood outside of the office, I was pretty damn proud of what Edward and I had managed to accomplish in such a short period of time as a professional duo.

"That went very well," I said after Carmen made her exit. Edward was grinning from ear to ear.

"I can't believe this is all happening." He shook his head in disbelief. "I couldn't do this without you, you know."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure you could do it, but your publicist probably wouldn't be half as cool," I joked. Edward laughed and collected his things.

"I can't argue with that." He started for the door, and then turned around. "We're still on for tomorrow afternoon, right?"

 _Not in the way I'd like to be,_ I thought. "Correct. The _Times_ reporter will meet us at the Plaza at two thirty for the interview."

"Perfect." He smiled and turned back towards the door. "Thanks for everything, Bella. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," I called out as I watched him walk down the hallway. He waved over his shoulder before disappearing into the elevator.

I sat down at my desk and sighed, twining my fingers in my hair. Alice was in my office in no time.

"So? Did you talk about Saturday?"

I shook my head and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I want to keep things professional when we're here, you know? I don't want to put in all this work on his book party only to become such an emotional wreck that I end up having to drop him as a client in the end."

Alice smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, hun. Maybe you should call him after all? He's probably just as nervous to discuss everything with you."

"I don't know about that, Alice." I stood up and crossed the room, coming to a stop in front of my window. I looked down just in time to catch Edward getting into his Town Car. It was a good thing these windows didn't open, because I was at a point where I would probably wail and try to start some skyscraper Romeo and Juliet reenactment.

"C'mon, let's go meet Rose for lunch." Alice wrapped her arm around my shoulders and gave me a friendly squeeze. I leaned my head against her and closed my eyes.

Edward obviously wasn't going to offer up any answers on his own. That meant I would have to go in search of them – a task that made me want to throw up.

"Can we not talk about this in front of her? I don't think I can handle any of that Smith hostility right now."

Alice laughed and grabbed my hand, tugging me down the hall. "My lips are sealed darling. Besides, she's so busy with Em's surprise party I don't think she has time to get hostile over anyone's love life."

"Or lack of, " I muttered. Alice squeezed my arm encouragingly.

"Give it time, Bell. Good things don't happen overnight."

 _Right,_ I thought to myself. _And sometimes they don't happen at all._

* * *

**Edward's POV**

" _Edward, it's Jasper. Call me, I have something important I need to talk to you about."_

Delete.

" _Edward, it's me, Jasper. I know Emmett told you he knew about the bet, and, well … yeah. Please call me, this is really important."_

Delete.

" _Are we in junior high again? Am I getting the silent treatment? Look, I'm sorry I fucked up, but we really need to sit down and talk - about this bet and about Bella. So call me, ok?"_

Delete.

Jasper had left me six voice mails in total since I ran into Emmett at the gym a week ago, and I had yet to return any of them. I also had yet to see my best friend. It was childish, but I was still mad at him for opening his mouth to Emmett.

"Where the fuck have you been all week?"

I looked up and saw the brown-haired bastard himself standing on the steps to my building. I rolled my eyes and slumped my shoulders, running a hand through my already messy hair and tucking my phone away in my pocket. This was just my luck. First I got to spend my morning with an unusually moody Bella, who practically bit my head off at the end of the _Times_ interview. Apparently our ideas of what constituted a good interview were on opposite sides of the spectrum, and before she stormed off in her oh-so-sexy heels, she made sure to tell me I not only had the worst interviewing skills she'd ever seen in a person, but I was also the worst client she'd ever had.

Not that I didn't deserve every bit of snark she threw at me. I hadn't exactly been overly friendly towards her at our meeting yesterday, nor had I texted or called her since last Saturday. I knew I was being an asshole, and probably sabotaging the bet for myself, but I was terrified that the more we went out, the harder it would be for me to fight the feelings I had for her.

Now the icing on my proverbial cake stood just a few yards away from me; an obviously angry Jasper with what was sure to be another tongue lashing.

"I've been right here, in this apartment, hiding from Emmett all week," I spat back. "Thank you, by the way. I appreciate you finding it necessary to open your mouth all around town after emphasizing the _importance_ of keeping things between the two of us."

Jasper took a few steps forward and met me on the sidewalk. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "I'm sorry about Emmett. He started interrogating me about you and Bella at the bar last weekend and I didn't know how to weasel my way out of it."

I set my briefcase down on the sidewalk and stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Maybe you should have suggested he come to me instead of gossiping about it like two ladies at lunch."

"Look, none of this makes me look like a saint either, okay? For fucks sake Edward, Emmett thinks we're both complete assholes at this point."

"I don't care what Emmett thinks!" I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air. "It's been _years_ since Emmett played an active role in my life. Do you get that? Years! What I care about is Bella finding out what's been going on and hating me for it!"

"What about _hurting_ Bella? Do you care about that?"

I met Jasper's eyes and felt my own gaze harden. "Of course I care about that. I would never dream of doing anything to intentionally hurt her."

"Then why are we still doing this?" Jasper sighed in exasperation. "Why can't you just try to have a relationship with Bella and I'll have my relationship with Alice and everything will go back to normal? Like it was before I made the mistake of opening my fucking mouth at the Guggenheim."

"Gee, Jasper, that would be a _great_ idea if Emmett wasn't part of the picture." I sucked in a breath and rocked back on my heels. "Who's to say he won't tell Rose even if we call everything off?"

"Emmett isn't going to say anything as long as we right everything we've done wrong up until now. He promised me that much. You'd know this already if you weren't ignoring everyone's phone calls."

"What if he doesn't keep his word on that? We're assholes either way, but the difference is, it'll be for nothing if he blabs." I winced at how bad I sounded. _When did you become such a first-class dick?_ I asked myself.

Jasper stared at me in silence for what seemed like hours before speaking. "Here." He held his hand out over mine. I opened my fist and a set of familiar keys dropped onto my palm. "The house is yours. The bet is off. I'm not going to lose Alice over a piece of real estate."

I stared at him blankly, not knowing what to do or say. Jasper stood still for another few minutes before getting into his SUV. I looked back down at the keys in my hand guiltily.

Jasper was right. The house was just real estate. My car was just a material good. Bella was a human being, with real feelings that I'd undoubtedly hurt by pulling her close and then pushing her away. I stuffed the house key in my pocket and withdrew my phone. I had her number dialed before I was even back in my car.

Scared or not, I had to make things right.

I had to apologize to Bella Swan and acknowledge that, despite how hard I'd tried not to, I just might be falling for her.


	12. The Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thursday! One day closer to the weekend!
> 
> First and foremost - THANK YOU TIMES A TRILLION to everyone who voted for Hot Commodity in the Sunflower Awards! The story won in the Best Edward category! As promised, I have posted a special outtake as a personal thanks to everyone. You can find it in the Insider Trading thread on my profile. It's a bit zesty, if you know what I mean, and I hope you enjoy. Thank you once again - I love each and every one of you like Rob loves In n Out. ;)
> 
> Chloe Masen - THANK YOU for your continuous help and support with this story and the rest of my writing ventures. I don't say it enough but I couldn't do any of this without you. *MUAH*
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

I turned my phone off after Edward's fifth consecutive call.

Call it childish, but I just didn't feel like talking. I was exhausted and still slightly crabby after _the Times_ interview. It wasn't that Edward was an ass to me – he was the exact opposite, in fact. What had me so worked up was the fact that it was Thursday and he still hadn't called me for anything other than book stuff. According to Alice, now was about the time I should start to get worried.

I pulled my hair up in a loose ponytail and shrugged out of my work clothes. I planned on spending my evening in sweatpants with a big bowl of popcorn and a humorous Vince Vaughn movie.

The universe had other plans for me, however.

_Knock, knock, knock._

I let out a disgusted groan and trotted to the door. "I thought I told you I didn't want to go out tonight, Alice…" I stopped talking when my eyes fell on the disheveled looking man on the other side of the threshold.

"You're home." Edward didn't wait for an invitation to come inside. Instead, he stepped around me and leaned against the opposite wall.

"Sure, come on in," I muttered. I closed the door and leaned against it, crossing my arms over my chest. "What are you doing here?"

He ran his fingers through his hair nervously and kicked the toe of his Chucks against the wall. "I needed to talk to you and you weren't answering. I didn't see any other way."

"Look, Edward, now is really not the best time." I needed him to leave before my will crumbled beneath the gaze of his green eyes.

"Do you always answer the door with no shirt on?"

I looked down and gasped when I saw my bare stomach. _Sweatpants and a fucking bra? Nice, Bella._ "Excuse me," I said, sprinting to my room and grabbing the first t-shirt I saw. I took a deep breath and tried to fan the blush off my face, but it was no use. I trudged back out to the living room where Edward was now sitting on the sofa.

"I wasn't objecting to the wardrobe choice, you know," he teased. A trace of a smile flickered across his face.

"What is so important that you had to come all the way across town unannounced?" I was irritated; with myself for being so absentminded and with him for thinking it was okay to show up whenever he pleased.

"I…" He clasped his hands together and leaned his forearms against his knees. "I owe you an apology."

"An apology for what?"

"I owe you an apology for bolting last weekend." He grabbed a framed photo off of my end table and examined it carefully. "Is this your mother?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed. I snatched the photo away from him and put it back in its place. "You don't owe me anything, Edward. I knew what you were like before I made the stupid decision to ask you out. Honestly, I shouldn't have expected anything more."

His head snapped up and anger flashed in his eyes. "You know what you've _heard_ , Bella, and with all due respect, I don't have much faith in your sources."

"Really? That's funny, because Emmett has known you for what, ten years, maybe even longer? And he has nothing positive to say about the way you conduct yourself when it comes to women."

" Emmett hasn't been a permanent fixture in my life since college!" Edward spat out. He stood up and fisted his hair. "I'm no saint, Bella, but I also never claimed to be."

"Exactly!" I let out a loud sigh and threw my hands up in exasperation. "You never claimed to be anything, therefore you have nothing to apologize for. So, now that we've solved that, you can feel free to go home and leave me to the rest of my night."

"God damnit, Bella!" He whirled around and fixed me with a stare. "I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry for acting like a tool and you keep throwing everything back in my face!"

I chewed nervously on my lip, unsure of how to respond. Wasn't this what I wanted? For him to fall at my feet and admit he'd made a stupid mistake when he'd left last Saturday?

"Did you apologize to all the others?"

"What are you talking about? What others?"

"The other girls you've been with. Did you apologize to them too?"

He ran a hand through his hair and slumped his shoulders. His eyes met mine and I saw nothing but naked honesty staring back at me. "No. Never." He took two steps toward me, never averting his gaze. "I've never _wanted_ to apologize before. I never felt like what I was doing was wrong."

I swallowed hard. "It surprises me that your eyes aren't brown, because I'm pretty sure you're completely full of shit right now." I made a mental note to thank my dad for that line the next time I saw him.

"No, I'm not full of shit – I'm _sorry_." He still hadn't looked away.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I wanted to believe him. In fact, I'd never wanted to believe anyone more. But Rose's words kept echoing in the back of my mind: _"I don't think Edward deserves to get off the hook without doing his fair share of groveling."_

"I appreciate that you took the time to come all the way over here and do this in person, but I really just want to be left alone for the night." I motioned for the door. "I don't think that's asking too much."

Edward stared at me in silence before finally giving in. "Alright." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started down the front hall, but turned abruptly when he was just a few inches away from me. "Can I at least take you out to dinner tomorrow night and discuss this more?"

"I have plans tomorrow night," I replied automatically. It was a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

"What about Saturday?"

"This isn't a good weekend for me." I focused my attention on my bare feet, knowing full well that if I allowed myself to look into his eyes I'd give in and agree to go out with him.

"Then I guess I'll see you next week." He turned and left, closing the door softly behind him.

I sat on the floor of the hall and pulled my legs back against my chest. I rested my chin against my knees and let myself get lost in my thoughts.

I was clearly testing Edward. Why else would I drag this out any longer than necessary? Yes, I was testing him to see if there was any truth behind his words. If he were any other guy, I probably would have eaten up everything he said and invited him to stick around for a few hours. Unfortunately he wasn't any guy, and I knew that despite Alice's optimistic attitude about the possibility of a romance budding, I had to heed Rose's words of caution about him.

Edward Cullen could say he was sorry all he wanted.

When he took the time to _show_ how sorry he was … well, that's when I'd start to believe him.

**\- = - HC - = -**

The weekend finally arrived and, contrary to what I told Edward, I had absolutely nothing penciled in on my schedule.

Since I didn't often have the luxury of a wide-open Saturday morning, I decided to take advantage of it and spend my time relaxing and looking at paint colors. My landlord had finally given me the green light to do some interior design work, and I couldn't think of a better time to get started. I needed a project to keep my mind off of Edward.

I had just gotten settled in my favorite oversized armchair with a cup of coffee and the Ralph Lauren Home site pulled up on my laptop when my cell rang.

"Happy Saturday, daaaaahling." I didn't even get my entire greeting out before the giggles started.

"Isabella Marie Swan, where have you been hiding for the past few weeks?" I giggled even harder when I heard Mike's tone. He couldn't sound angry no matter how hard he tried.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, you little hussy!" Mike lowered his voice. "Is he there right now?"

 _Fucking Alice._ "Is who here?"

Mike let out a disgusted sigh. "You know who, Bella – Edward Cullen! Word on the street is that you've been secretly shacking up with him."

"You mean Alice told you I was shacking up with him?"

Silence.

"I knew it! That woman couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes even though Mike couldn't see me.

"Maybe not her life, but if the life of Jasper's disco stick depended on it, I bet she'd keep those lips sealed!"

I choked on my coffee and it went shooting out my nose and all over the computer screen. "I wasn't aware that Alice had seen Jasper's disco stick."

"Hold on a second." I heard lots of noise in the background and then Mike was yelling. "Someone HELP ME, PLEASE!"

Mike did shit like this all the time. I'd bet fifty dollars that he was leaning over the side of his balcony screaming at innocent bystanders on the street right now. "What the hell is going on over there?"

"Someone needs to come rescue me from the brigade of pigs that just went flying past my window!" I sat in confused silence until he continued. "Alice Erickson told _me_ something before she told _you_. This is unheard of."

"And now _I'm_ going to have to call little Ms. Alice and tell her something myself."

"Now is probably not the best time, Swan. I'm pretty sure she's at home with her feet kicked up and her vag on ice." Mike chuckled and clicked his tongue.

"I'm not sure if that last part is good or bad, but it certainly doesn't sound pleasant." I slid my laptop onto the ottoman and headed to the kitchen for some napkins. "As much as I love our usual banter, I have to ask – to what occasion do I owe this call?"

Mike dropped his voice back down to a whisper. "Rosalie enlisted me to go to a tasting with her at the catering company she hired for Emmett's party. I need backup. We all know how she gets when she's on these types of missions."

"I heard that!" Rose called out in the background.

I groaned. "I paid my dues in the surprise party department two weeks ago when I sat and addressed a zillion invitations. Isn't there anyone else who can go with you?"

"No, there isn't." Irritation crept into his voice. "Short Stop is busy doing the walk of shame – or, in her case, the dance of delight – around her apartment and I don't dislike any of my co-workers enough to subject them to our favorite fashion designer before noon on a Saturday."

I sighed and dropped back down onto my chair. "You owe me, Newton. Dinner and drinks sometime next week."

"Thank fuck! That I can manage."

"You're going to have to give me time to get ready. I'm still in my pajamas over here."

Mike laughed wickedly. "You've got a half hour sweetie pie."

I resisted the urge to belt out a string of profanities and said my goodbyes to Mike instead.

I crossed the room and peeked out my window. A light snow was falling; autumn in the city had officially come to an end. _At least I have an excuse to put those Ugg boots Renee sent me for my birthday to use._ I showered and pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and an oversized grey sweater. I dusted my face with a light coat of makeup, grabbed my purse, and made my way downstairs to meet my friends in the lobby.

"I'm impressed!" Mike gave me a hug and kissed both my cheeks before stepping back and looking me over. "Not bad for thirty minutes."

"I only need a half hour, unlike this diva over here," I teased, pointing at Rose. She stuck her tongue out at me and flipped me off.

"This diva you speak of is in a terrible mood because I told her we could walk the four blocks from here to the catering company instead of wasting gas and her driver's time." Mike lit a cigarette and took a long a long drag, casting a sideways glance at Rose. "You'd think someone took her fucking gold card away."

"I'm sorry if I don't feel like walking when this disgusting shit is falling from the sky." Rose had never been a fan of winters. It always amazed me that she stayed in the Northeast after school was finished. I knew she had the resources to move anywhere she wanted, but at the end of the day I figured it would bother her too much to be away from Alice and I. We were the glue that held one another to the area.

I put my arm around Rose and squeezed her shoulders. "You'll survive, tootse. Spring always comes back around."

We managed to make it three blocks before Mike's curiosity got the best of him and he asked about Edward.

"I think it's time you brought me up to speed on your new found sex life, Iz." Mike tossed his cigarette into the street and looped his arm through mine. "To tell you the truth I'm a little disappointed that you didn't call me after it happened."

"It's not a big deal. Honestly, it happened twice and that was it." I didn't miss the look that crossed Rose's face.

"Not a big deal? Please, bitch – it's a huge deal! Your lady parts were on fucking hiatus for how long? They're probably jumping with joy that you finally allowed them to have some fun!"

"They'd probably be happier if Bella had found someone respectable to do the horizontal mambo with." Leave it to Rose to put it all out there.

I sighed. "I think we've already established the fact that sleeping with him was a mistake. Let's just move on and pretend it never happened."

"Wait a second – it happened twice and then what? Did you guys go out again?" Mike could be as bad as a prepubescent teenage girl at times.

I shook my head. "Nope. He bolted after the last time."

"Did he ever call you?" Rose was trying her hardest to feign disinterest, but it was clear she was as curious as Mike was about my and Edward's relations.

I still hadn't told Rose about Edward stopping by on Thursday to apologize. I also hadn't told her about the gorgeous flower arrangement he'd sent to me yesterday. After her outburst last weekend I wasn't sure if she even wanted to hear anything more. Apparently she did.

"He showed up at my house on Thursday after work to apologize."

Mike stopped and spun me around to face him, bringing Rose with since my arm was still wrapped around her shoulders. Her heels slid on the slippery pavement and a moment later all three of us were in a pile in the middle of the sidewalk. Mike and I began laughing immediately.

"Michael Ramsey Newton, you better be six fucking blocks away by the time I get up because I'm going to kick your pretty little ass all the way to Brooklyn!" Rose fired off before bursting out laughing herself.

"N-n-none," Mike sputtered out, choking on his laughter, "of this would have happened had you not decided to wear heels when it's clearly snowing outside."

"I didn't think I'd be walking outside in the snow in heels, jack ass." Rose pushed herself off the ground and grabbed my hand to help me up. She kicked Mike's butt with the toe of her shoe before giving him some assistance as well.

Mike rolled his eyes and turned to face me, placing a hand on one of his hips and tapping his foot impatiently. "Back to the good stuff – Edward actually came over to apologize?"

I nodded.

"And…?" Rose sidled up next to Mike and fixed me with a stare.

"I told him I appreciated his apology but I wanted him to leave," I said with a shrug. Mike's jaw dropped while Rose smirked in satisfaction.

"That's my girl. I'm so glad you didn't let him off the hook like Alice suggested."

Mike swatted Rose's shoulder. "Stop that! Do you not understand the importance behind this? Edward Cullen doesn't apologize to _anyone_ for anything he does. In fact, I'm pretty sure the sincerity gene never made it into any of his chromosomes."

"He sent me flowers too," I added. Now there were two sets of dropped jaws and wide eyes on me.

"My God, Bella, grab that man and run away with him before he remembers what an asshole he's supposed to be!" Mike looped his arm through mine again and we resumed our trek to the caterer.

"You haven't called him or anything?" Rose furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I don't know what to say. Part of me wants to believe he's sorry and part of me is convinced this is just a bullshit show he's putting on."

"Do you really think he'd go to all that trouble just to put on a show? I mean, what kind of motives would he have to have to do something like that?" Mike stopped and held the door open for both of us.

"Who says he has motives at all? He could just be doing this for fun. I wouldn't put it past him to turn this into some sort of game." Rose shook the moisture out of her hair and shrugged out of her coat.

"Hence, the reason I haven't called."

Mike held his hand out and took our coats. Twenty minutes later we were seated at a large table surrounded with various appetizers and desserts. Rose always went all-out when she threw a party. Since she was head over heels for Emmett, she'd kicked it up a few gears for this occasion.

Two hours and too much food later, Rose had successfully decided on a party menu and Mike and I had decided we might need to get bigger sized pants.

"Are you going home for Thanksgiving?" Mike asked me while we waited for Rose's driver to pick us up. I shook my head and adjusted the collar on my pea coat.

"Plane ticket prices sky rocketed before I remembered I needed to get one. Besides, with Edward's book release coming up, I can't afford to take a vacation."

"You can come to my parents' place with me," Rose offered. "Bree is bringing her fiancée to meet the extended family for the first time, so there's sure to be some entertainment."

"Or you can get trashed and go to the parade with me," Mike said with a wink. Several years ago we'd both decided to spend the holidays in the city together instead of returning to our respective hometowns. We stayed up the night before drinking and by the time we made it to the parade, Mike was so drunk that he threw up all over the shoes of one of New York's finest. He spent the rest of the day in detox and I slept the day away at home.

I followed my two friends into the back of the car and pulled the door closed behind me. The snow had picked up and was coming down in fat, fluffy flakes. "Or I could stick to my original plans and stay home and enjoy some Chinese take out and a good movie."

"Fine, lame-o. I am demanding you be my date for this surprise party on Friday night, however." Mike nudged me with his elbow.

"I'm not sure if that's possible. In case you didn't notice, there's a _whole_ line of potential suitors waiting outside my apartment building." Sarcasm hung from my every word.

"You've been in a monogamous relationship with this gay boyfriend for the past six years, cupcake. I laid stake on the contingency plans a long time ago."

I laughed and rested my head on Mike's shoulder. "Of course I'll be your date! Who the hell else would I go with?"

"That's what I thought," Mike said smugly, slipping his arm around my shoulders and giving me a hug.

"This should be thoroughly amusing given the fact that Cullen will be at the party." Rose's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh please. Cullen is a pussy who apparently runs away from pussy. He might as well come over to the dugout for my team."

I giggled, imagining how Edward would react if Mike were to actually say that to him.

"Have I told the both of you how much I love you?"

They both looked over at me and grinned.

I grinned too, at their ridiculous expressions and at the overwhelming happiness that now occupied every inch of available space in my chest.

It didn't matter how foolish Edward, or any other man in my life for that matter, chose to behave. I was surrounded by an incredible group of people who would not only pull me through my down times, but would also be there cheering for me when I came out on top in the end.

Paint swatches and lazy mornings might be two of my favorite things, but time spent with my closest friends would always occupy the top spot on my list.

* * *

**Alice's POV**

_Where am I?_

_What day is it again?_

Jasper grabbed my ankle and pulled me to the edge of the bed. I threw my arms over my head and giggled while my body moved along the soft fabric of his sheets.

_Mmmmmm…_

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

_Jesus, my thighs hurt._

_Everything hurts. The_ good _kind of hurt._

_What time is it? Is it dark again already? Maybe we should try to get some sleep._

Alice's fingertips danced up the outside my thigh and across my stomach. She slipped her leg over mine and sat up on top of me, dragging her hand lower until she found what she was looking for.

A smile spread across her face and her tired eyes danced with excitement.

_Man, it's going to be a long night…_

* * *

**Edward's POV**

It was official – Bella Swan was slowly unhinging me.

Friday night I elected to go to my parents' place and watch a movie with my mom instead of going out for drinks with a group of guys from the office. Saturday I roamed around the shops in her neighborhood in hopes of running into her, but by three in the afternoon I got discouraged and went home to clean my apartment. Sunday I updated all my clients' portfolios, went for a ridiculously long jog in Central Park, and decided to turn in early since there was nothing good on TV.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd had such a sterile weekend.

I thought for sure Bella would call me at some point. Yes, she was mad when I showed up at her place unannounced, but I'd sent her a flower arrangement on Friday afternoon and I thought that might soften her up just a bit. I figured after she had a day or two to cool off and think about things she might pick up the phone.

When Tuesday rolled around and I still hadn't heard from her, I decided to pick up her favorite morning beverage along with an assortment of bagels and fruit from Dean and Deluca, and surprise her at her office with breakfast.

It was I who got a surprise, however, when I literally ran into Embry Call, my publisher, on my way into Bella's office.

"Edward! What are you doing here?"

I dropped the Dean and Deluca bag next to my feet and reached out to balance the drink carrier I was holding before any more of our lattes could spill. "Dropping in to check on the party planning preparations. What are you doing here?"

"I just had to come by and finalize a few things with Bella before the big day." Embry clamped his hand down on my shoulder and smiled at me.

"What kind of things?"

"Oh, just a few important details. I'm sure she'll fill you in."

This was odd. Bella and Embry had met several times, but always in my presence and Bella always told me about it in advance. _I hope she's not pawning me off on a different publicist._

"Listen, I have to run, but take care and I'll see you at the release party next week!" Embry gave my shoulder a squeeze and headed out to join the rest of the Manhattan morning crowd.

I stared after him in confusion for a few minutes before grabbing the Dean and Deluca bag and heading for the elevator. I smiled at the receptionist and made my way back to Bella's office.

"Knock, knock." I poked my head inside and saw Bella standing across the room facing the window. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she had a blank expression on her face.

"It's about time you got-" Bella stopped when she turned and saw me standing there. I smiled and held up my goods.

"I brought breakfast," I said, placing the items on the table in front of her desk.

"I see that." She walked around the desk and perched herself against the edge of it. "We didn't have a meeting this morning, did we?"

I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Nope, no meeting. Although I must admit, I'm a bit curious as to why Embry was here this morning?"

"You saw him?" She looked panicked, but only for a brief moment.

"I ran into him in the lobby. He said something about having you fill me in on the details." I took a seat at the table and started to pull items out of the bag.

I watched as Bella stood in silence, clearly contemplating the situation and how she wanted to proceed. She finally took a deep breath and pulled out the chair across from me, sitting down and grabbing one of the lattes from the drink carrier.

"I just wanted to know if it would be possible for you to sign some extra books." She grabbed a bagel and one of the containers of sliced fruit I'd set out on the table. "I got a call from someone at Barnes and Noble today and they wanted signed copies for their store near the Financial District."

"Wow." I shook my head in amazement. I couldn't believe this was all really coming together. "I don't know if I've ever really said this before, but thank you. For everything you've done with the book. It seems like such a short time to accomplish this much."

Bella waved her hand in front of her face dismissively. "I'm used to it. Thank you for breakfast, by the way. Can I ask what inspired this?"

I finished chewing my piece of honeydew melon and shrugged. "Honestly, I just wanted to see you."

Bella stiffened and set down her plastic fork. "That's … nice," she said, taking a sip of her coffee and glancing at the clock.

"Am I keeping you from something?"

"No. I just don't know what to say." She looked at me and chewed on her bottom lip.

"You don't have to say anything, Bella." I grabbed a bagel for myself and spread some cream cheese across it. "I just wanted you to know why I'm here."

An awkward silence fell over the room. Bella was the one to break it. "Are you coming to Emmett's surprise party on Friday night?"

I nodded. "Jasper's making me go."

"Don't you want to?"

"Rosalie doesn't want me to."

"Did she tell you that?"

I chuckled. "No, but I wouldn't put it past her. I was the last person to get an invitation and I didn't get one until last Friday."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't take it personally. Rose can be rather childish when she wants."

"I'm guessing you'll be there on Friday, too?"

"Of course. Rose is making me."

Another silence fell over us while we finished our breakfast. Before I could stand, Bella was up collecting the trash and disposing of it. I wasn't sure what inspired me to blurt out my next set of words.

"How would you like to be my date to Emmett's party?"

Bella stopped and turned to face me. She looked shocked, but I detected a hint of something else – satisfaction perhaps – in her features. "Why do you need a date? It's a birthday party for your friend."

"Why not have one?" I stood and took a few steps towards her. "Besides, you still haven't given me a chance to make up for my poor behavior."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't recall saying I was going to give you a chance to begin with."

This was obviously going to be a lot harder than I thought. "C'mon Bella, go to Emmett's party with me. I promise I'll be on my best behavior all night – and we'll go home to our respective apartments after."

A small smile danced on her lips. "As much as I appreciate your asking, I already have a date lined up for the occasion."

My eyes grew wide. I dipped my hands into my back pockets and rocked back on my heels. "Oh, wow, I guess I wasn't expecting that answer."

"I'm guilty of a lot of things, but being predictable isn't one of them." Bella walked around her desk and took a seat in her chair.

"That's for sure." I picked my latte up and traced the outline of the lid with my finger. "Do you really have a date or is this just some easy way of telling me no?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I really do have a date. You'll see for yourself on Friday."

Maybe I'd lost my chance. "Well, then I look forward to meeting him on Friday."

"Oh, you've already met him." She turned her attention to her computer. "I really should get back to work. Thank you for breakfast – it was a thoughtful gesture."

"You're welcome," I mumbled. I started for the door but turned just before I reached it. "I really am sorry, Bella. I know you told me I didn't have to apologize, but I am. Maybe someday you'll let me say more on the topic."

"I know you are, Edward." She glanced up at me with curious eyes. "And maybe someday I will."


	13. Flying Solo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly updates ... O_O
> 
> Maybe I should preface this by saying I can only promise to try my hardest to give you weekly updates moving forward. It shouldn't be too hard, because this is my primary focus storywise as mentioned in the previous update, but ... Life happens. We all know this. Thanks in advance for patience & understanding. :)
> 
> Reviews are wanted here just as much as Georges Duroy is wanted in my bedroom. Every. Fucking. Night. Hehe.
> 
> Chloe Masen amazes me every day. Go check out her stories, they'll amaze you too!
> 
> Chapter Song: Shadow Days by John Mayer
> 
> \- N
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

I promised Alice and Rose I would go out for drinks on Wednesday night. I even pulled out one of my favorite little black dresses for the occasion. I was looking forward to the long weekend ahead of me, because once Edward's book hit shelves the following week, my life would be nothing but chaos for a few months.

Mike decided to join us at the last minute, which of course meant the evening would be anything but boring.

"How did your date go last night?" Alice asked Mike. After several weeks of prodding, Mike finally agreed to go out with Laurent Giuseppe. Alice couldn't understand why he was so reluctant to partake in a blind date. Little did she know Mike was still terrified of her matchmaking skills after the whole Caius incident. As he'd put it to me and Rose on Saturday, _"If I wanted to repeat the BDSM night from hell I'd put an ad on fucking Craigstlist."_

"If he has a flogger he didn't bring it to dinner, thank God." Mike cringed when he threw out the dreaded f-word. "It went quite well, actually. He impressed me enough to get me to book a second date."

"That's great!" I held my martini glass in the air and the others clanked theirs against it.

"Don't get so enthusiastic yet, Swan."

I shook my head. "Newton, Newton, Newton. How could you let this happen?"

"I swear it wasn't intentional! I hadn't even agreed to go out with him when I saw you on Saturday!" Mike swirled his finger around in his cosmo and then sucked it into his mouth.

Alice and Rose were looking back and forth between the two of us like we were alien life forms. "What the hell are you two talking about?" Rose finally asked.

"I no longer have a date to Em's party," I explained. Rose stared blankly at me. "That's Mike and Laurent's second date."

"Oh my God, you're bringing him to the party on Friday?" I thought Alice was going to shoot straight out of her chair.

Mike smiled and nodded. "You know I don't let any man get to the third date without obtaining the seal of approval from my girlfriends."

"Do you really need our seals? I mean, Alice's has been enough in the past, right?" Rose kept a straight face for all of two seconds before bursting out laughing.

"Fuck you both." Alice pouted. "For the ninetieth time, I legitimately didn't know Caius was into that shit. It's not like I hand out a questionnaire asking prospects if they like whips and chains and ball gags."

"The man had a fucking torture cage in his closet, Short Stop. That's far beyond the realm of ball gags and whips."

Rose and I howled with laughter. This story was always hilarious no matter how many times we heard it.

"Well, Laurent seems like a normal guy, so let's try and forget Caius and look toward the future." Alice squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. Being the center of attention usually didn't bother my friend – unless she was wrong about and/or getting called out on something.

"Let's hope he's a normal guy," Rose said after calming down. "Otherwise Mikey boy might decide to move off the island."

"It's going to take a hell of a lot more than some freaky queen to get me out of Manhattan." Mike signaled for the waiter to bring us another round of drinks.

"There must be something special about him if you're breaking our contingency plans," I teased. "I don't think you've ever gone against our chicks before dicks policy."

Mike scooted his chair over and leaned his head against my shoulder. "Please don't hate me, Bell. I've been sitting on the sidelines of the dating field for far too long. If I don't get myself back in the game now I'm going to end up old and miserable in Queens with seventeen cats and too many pairs of Prada loafers."

Rose giggled. "At least you'd still be stylish."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, stylish until one of his seventeen cats decides to turn a pair of Prada loafers into a litter box."

Mike sat up straight and plugged his ears with his fingers. "La, la, la, la, la. I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear you use the words 'Prada' and 'litter box' in the same sentence."

"I certainly wouldn't want to be the cause of that sentence ever having any truth behind it." I grabbed Mike's chin and pulled his face toward mine, resting my forehead against his and smiling. "Take your new man candy out and display him proudly. I'm sure there will be plenty of people at the party to keep me company."

"Like Edward, perhaps?"

Fucking Alice.

"I'm sure Cullen would be _more_ than happy to keep you company, Bell."

Fucking Newton.

"And _I'm_ sure there are a few other bachelors on the guest list who would be far better suited for Bella." Rose pitched in.

"Or maybe I could make that decision for myself like any normal twenty-nine year old woman?" I met each of their eyes with mine while taking a sip from my martini. "When did my love life – or lack of – become the hottest topic of discussion for you three?"

"When you made the choice to start banging the most talked about toxic bachelor in the last five years." Mike raised his eyebrows and tapped the tip of my nose.

"I'm not banging anybody, you bonehead!" I swatted Mike's hand away and narrowed my eyes. "Sleeping with someone twice does not count as banging. Now, can we please stop talking about this?"

Rose must have noticed the desperation in my voice because she was quick to change the topic. "It's usually Alice who brings out something cheesy like this around the holidays, but I couldn't resist." She reached beneath the table and produced a magazine from her oversized bag. "I came across an article in here where a set of four girlfriends talked about what they were thankful for in their lives. I thought maybe we could give this a whirl, being tomorrow is Thanksgiving and all."

I smiled and reached across the table to squeeze Rose's hand. She put on such a tough front for everyone, but somewhere deep down inside there was a soft, compassionate woman. It was nice to get a glimpse of that side of her.

"I'll go ahead and start," Rose continued. "I'm thankful for Bella because you've always been my rock, Alice because you've always been my cheerleader, and Mike because you've always been my human tissue."

"What the fuck is a human tissue?" Mike looked mortified.

"You're always there to dry my tears, asshat."

"Ohhh ok, _that_ kind of human tissue." Mike smirked while the rest of us rolled our eyes and shook our heads.

"Alright Puffs, settle down and put a sock in it." Rose faked a scowl. "I'm thankful for Emmett, because he's shown me more about romance and how to treat a person right in six short weeks than some men I dated for years ever did. And I'm thankful for New York because, well … we wouldn't be here right now without it."

We clinked our glasses together in a toast. I cleared my throat and spoke up. "I'll go next. I'm thankful for Rose because you've always been my devil's advocate, for Alice because you've always reminded me of all that I can do, and for Mike because you've been my safety net."

"Tissue, safety net – I can't wait to hear what you have to say, Ali."

"What if I have a Newton-free list?"

I raised my voice a few octaves. "I am thankful for Harvard because without Harvard I never would have met the two most important people in my life." Alice and Rose looked at one another and grinned. "And of course I'm also thankful for New York because I can't imagine ever having a different life than this one."

Our glasses clinked together again and Alice got started. "I'm thankful for Bella and Rose because the two of you are my heart."

"Ahem." Mike cleared his throat and drummed his fingers against the table. I tried to hold my laughter inside but a tiny giggle escaped from my lips.

"And I'm thankful for Mike," Alice said, sticking her tongue out at our crazy, slightly – oh, who was I kidding, _fully_ – narcissistic friend, "because you are the wind that's there to propel me forward when I need it."

Glasses clinked, Mike snorted, and three sets of eyes turned on him expectantly.

"Unlike you three, I'm not an estrogen-filled, sappy mess, so I'll make this short and sweet." He drained the rest of his cosmo and set the glass down carefully. "I'm thankful for all three of you because I've never met a set of people with bigger hearts or more love to give. And I'm thankful for New York because this city is like a schmorgesborg of cock just waiting for the taking."

We were laughing too hard to clink any glasses this time. Mike smiled smugly and ordered himself yet another drink. Once the girls and I managed to compose ourselves, we chatted about the upcoming holidays and Rose gave us a few details about Emmett's newest project. Before long the night had come to a close and Alice was walking me home.

"Are you really planning on spending Thanksgiving by yourself, Bell?"

I shrugged. "I don't feel like going to Rose's and we're well past the age of getting tanked all night like Mike wanted to. Chinese takeout and the TV are my only options."

"Come to the Whitlock's house with me and Jasper," Alice said, looping her arm through mine.

"You're kidding, right?" The last thing I wanted to do was cash in on the sympathy invite and spend the day with a family I didn't even know. "I've hardly spent any time with Jasper and I've obviously never met his family. That would be supremely awkward and uncomfortable for everyone involved, Ali."

"Oh, hush. I've never met his parents either, so we'd be in the same boat there."

"Yes, but _you're_ his girlfriend. I don't fit into the puzzle."

"And _you're_ my best friend and I refuse to let you spend Thanksgiving holed up by yourself in your apartment." Alice came to a stop in front of my building and turned to face me. "Jasper's family is small, so I'm sure they'd be happy to have an extra face around the table. I know Jasper won't object – he thinks you're great."

It _would_ be pretty boring to sit at home by myself. Plus I loved the food. I wasn't ashamed to say I usually stuffed my face, unbuttoned my jeans, and kicked back to watch the football game with my dad on a typical Thanksgiving afternoon.

Besides, this was the Whitlock family she was asking me to spend the day with. It wasn't like she was asking me to spend it with the Cullens or something.

It didn't take much to get me to give in. "I'll come for dinner, but if it's too awkward, I'm leaving right after."

"Yay!" Alice hugged me and smiled happily. "Who knows, maybe mama Whitlock can think of a single man or two that need New Years Eve dates next month!"

I held up my hands and shook my head. "No enlisting anyone to play matchmaker for me, Alice. I'm perfectly capable of securing my own dates."

"You're no fun," she said with a pout. I laughed, walking towards the door of the building.

"How can you say I'm no fun?" I asked, pivoting as I was about to open the door. "I just agreed to go to Thanksgiving with you at the house of a family I've never met before."

"I know, I know. I promise I won't pester you about dating again – at least not for the remainder of 2011." Alice winked and checked her cell phone. "Jasper is picking me up at ten tomorrow. Can you be ready by ten thirty?"

"Yes ma'am," I said, giving Alice a pseudo-salute. She stepped off the curb and waved her hand in the air, hailing one of the dozen or so taxis crawling up the street.

"See you in the morning!" Alice climbed into the back of the cab.

My stomach was twisted in nervous knots an hour later when I climbed into bed. I tried to shake the feelings of worry, but I just couldn't do it. Instead, I lay awake and stared at the ceiling. Sometime after two I managed to drift off into a restless slumber.

For reasons unknown to me, I had a feeling that tomorrow would end up being a Thanksgiving to remember.

**\- = - HC - = -**

I wasn't sure what to expect when I was getting ready the next morning. Alice said that Jasper was an only child, and that his aunts and uncles were scattered across the country, so I assumed it would only be the three of us plus Jasper's parents for dinner. I shrugged on my coat and grabbed my gloves, wondering why I'd given in and agreed to go in the first place. Meeting your own boyfriend's family for the first time was awkward enough; accompanying your best friend to meet her boyfriend's family – on a major holiday at that – was awkward times ten.

When I got downstairs I saw Jasper's SUV parked by the curb. I hugged the two bottles of wine I was carrying against my chest and headed outside. It was cold and windy, and I immediately regretted not bringing a scarf with me.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Bella!" Jasper turned and smiled at me once I got myself situated. I returned his smile and pulled my hat down so it covered more of my ears.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Jasper. And you too, Short Stop." I reached up and tugged on a strand of Alice's hair.

"Is that wine you were hiding under your coat?" Alice pulled down the visor and looked at me in the small mirror. I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows playfully.

"Of course. Moscato. It's a staple at the Swan family Thanksgiving, and it just so happens I bought a few bottles Tuesday night."

"My mom is going to love you," Jasper said happily. "She brings the wine out before dinner even makes it on the table."

"It sounds like she'd get along wonderfully with my mom." I watched as we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. "Except Renee usually has the wine half gone before dinner even goes in the oven."

"And that is why Charlie hates it when Bella doesn't make it home for the holidays." Alice unbuckled her belt as Jasper brought us to a stop in front of a large, well-kept townhouse. She turned to face me and pointed to a foil covered pie plate that sat on the seat beside me. "Can you hand that to me please?"

I gave Alice her culinary creation and grabbed my wine. We followed Jasper up the sidewalk and in the front door.

"Charlotte, the kids are here!" A man with the same wavy brown hair as Jasper rounded the hall corner and stepped forward to take our coats. A short, thin woman, with straight blonde hair and beautiful hazel colored eyes followed him.

"Jasper! It's so good to see you!" She cupped his face with her hands and smiled up at him. He leaned forward and gave the woman a kiss on her forehead before gesturing to Alice and I.

"This is Alice Erickson, and this is Bella Swan." He pointed at us each respectively. "Alice, Bella, I'd like to introduce you to my mother, Charlotte Whitlock."

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Alice! Jasper hasn't stopped talking about you since the first time you went out." Charlotte stepped forward and gave Alice a hug and kissed both of her cheeks. "Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you too! I hear you've been giving Edward a run for his money in the romance department."

I immediately started blushing. Charlotte grabbed my arms and squeezed them gently.

"Oh honey, you don't have to be embarrassed. I was only kidding, although it might do Edward some good to have a woman give him a run for his money. "

"Mom…" Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Where should Alice put the pie?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes and pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. "The kitchen's this way, ladies. Jasper, why don't you go see what your dad is up to? You're clearly not cut out to handle the girl talk."

Alice squeezed his hand and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure Bella and I can manage just fine. Your mom doesn't look like she bites."

Charlotte glanced over her shoulder and winked at me. "Peter might beg to differ with you on that one."

"That's my cue to leave." Jasper kissed the top of Alice's head and disappeared. I sank down onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar and drummed my fingers against the countertop nervously.

"You have a beautiful home," Alice gushed. Charlotte smiled and stirred one of the pots that sat atop the stove.

"Thank you. Peter has put quite a bit of work into it over the years, but I think we finally have it just like we want."

"Can I help with anything?" I asked.

"Would you mind setting the table? We'll be eating in about a half hour." Charlotte turned around and pointed at a cabinet. "Everything you need should be in there. Since it's a holiday we'll get out the good china. Eight place settings should do it." She winked.

 _Eight?_ I guess there were more people coming after all.

I smiled at her and got to work. I was fairly certain that Jasper's mom could put an entire room full of people at ease with one glance; she just had that kind of personality.

"Hello!" A female voice called from the foyer. I turned and saw an attractive woman about the same age as Charlotte striding across the living room. Her hair was caramel colored and hung in loose waves past her shoulders. Her wide eyes were a faded blue color and a small beauty mark clung to her left cheek.

"Esme! Why didn't you have Carlisle bring that in for you?" Charlotte scolded the woman and took the crock-pot she was carrying from her while Alice cleared a spot for it on the counter. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Esme hugged her friend and turned her attention to Alice. "Alice Erickson! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Alice is dating Jasper, which you probably already knew," Charlotte explained. "He invited her to join us for dinner –and her friend Bella here as well."

Esme turned to face me and smiled. "Bella Swan, right?" _Who was this woman?_ "Your firm handled my Hamptons summer party three or four years back. I think you were visiting family in Washington at the time?"

"Mmm hmm, that's right," Alice affirmed.

"Your partner here had nothing but good things to say about you." Esme took a step toward me and stuck her hand out. "And of course Edward has told me about all the fantastic work you've done so far for his book!"

_Edward? Book?_

Oh. Shit.

Esme picked up on my confusion. "My name is Esme Cullen. I'm Edward's mother."

I shook her hand weakly and mustered up a polite smile. Of all the Thanksgiving celebrations in the city, I would naturally agree to attend the one that Edward's parents were at.

_And if Edward's parents are here…_

My suspicions were confirmed when I looked back toward the foyer. Broad, cashmere-covered shoulders? Check. Unruly hair? Check. Rich, velvety laugh? Check.

 _Please be a mirage, please be a mirage._ I dropped Esme's hand and crossed my fingers.

When he turned around and his eyes fell on me, I knew I wasn't imagining anything.

Edward Cullen had just arrived at the Whitlock family Thanksgiving.

And if the expression on his face was indicative of anything, he was equally surprised to see me.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

What.

The.

Fuck.

Bella Swan was standing in the middle of the Whitlock's dining room, talking to my mom and setting the table. Well, she _was_ setting the table. The conversation and everything else came to a halt as soon as I entered the room.

"Edward! Happy Thanksgiving!" Alice squeaked out, looking back and forth between Bella and me.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Alice." I shoved my hands in the pockets of my Dockers and slowly worked my way towards the dining room table. When I was close enough, I reached out and squeezed Bella's shoulder gently. "Happy Thanksgiving, Bella."

"Happy Thanksgiving," she whispered, busying herself with folding napkins and arranging silverware. I was positive Charlotte and Esme would have a million questions to ask by the time the afternoon was over, but for now they had both opted to behave and were busy checking on the turkey.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

She looked up at me and scoffed. "That makes two of us."

"Would you like some help with that?"

She stopped what she was doing and closed her eyes. A minute later she let out a long breath and handed me a stack of salad plates.

"Can you set these on top of the dinner plates please?"

"Absolutely." I took the plates from her and put them in their proper positions. "Are you excited for Emmett's party tomorrow night?"

She nodded. "Rose never disappoints when it comes to hosting a celebration." Her eyes flitted up to my face and back to the table. "How about you?"

"I'd be a lot more enthusiastic if I wasn't going stag," I admitted. _Or rather, I'd be a lot more enthusiastic if you hadn't of turned down my offer._

"You won't be the only one going stag to the party," she mumbled. Her brown eyes met my green ones and I fought to hold back a smile.

"I thought you had a date lined up?"

"Plans changed at the last minute." She held my gaze for what felt like an eternity before joining the moms in the kitchen. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Can you start putting the food out?" Esme turned and pointed at me. "I need you to go get the guys from outside. Dinner is done and this turkey is ready for carving."

I trekked to the patio. "Mom needs help with the turkey."

Once my dad and Peter were inside and out of earshot, I cornered Jasper. "Is this Alice's doing?"

"Is what Alice's doing?" Jasper asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Bella being here." I ran a hand through my hair and sank down onto the steps.

"Well, Alice invited Bella, if that's what you're asking." Jasper sat next to me and placed his hands on his knees. "Unless the two of you have some previously unmentioned telepathic connection, I don't think she knew you would be here."

"Her date for tomorrow night bailed."

Jasper raised his eyebrows. "I was serious about ending the bet, you know. It's off."

"I'm well aware of that." I kicked the toe of my shoe against the ground and sighed.

"So why are you still trying to get with her?"

I hadn't really talked to Jasper since the argument we had outside my apartment. Our schedules weren't jiving as of late and he was spending a lot more time with Alice. Come to think of it, I really hadn't shared my feelings with anyone.

"I like her." I admitted, both to Jasper, and finally, out loud to myself.

"Excuse me? I'm not sure I heard you correctly."

"I like her, okay?" I stood up and shoved my hands in my pockets. I tilted my face toward the sky and inhaled the cool air. "I like her and I have no fucking clue what I'm doing."

Jasper laughed. "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

"This isn't funny," I huffed. "This is the first woman to really catch my eye in how many years and I can't even get to the second date before fucking things up."

"Relax, man. Bella will come around, you just have to show her that you're capable of behaving like more than a bed hopping ass."

"I've been trying and she just doesn't get it."

"What have you done to show her?" Jasper crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side.

"I went to her house and apologized in person, I sent her flowers, and I surprised her with breakfast at her office." I counted my actions off on my fingers.

"You can't _buy_ Bella, Edward. She's not that kind of woman."

"I don't get what you're saying."

"The girls that chase you like money. They don't mind it if you shower them with jewelry and designer bags and expensive meals. They like that," Jasper explained. "Bella is entirely different. Words and material gifts won't get you very far with her. If you're going to talk the talk to her, you better be ready to walk the walk too."

"How the hell do you know all this?"

"Alice likes to gossip about the ladies," Jasper said, smirking. He turned to go inside, but stopped and cast a glance at me over his shoulder. "She's just as scared as you are, Edward. Now you need to give her a reason not to be."

_Give her a reason not to be…_

How was I supposed to do that?

**\- = - HC - = -**

The moms managed to behave all through dinner and the remainder of the afternoon.

When the wine started flowing during our evening dessert, however, they both got a tad bit loose in the lips.

"Tell me, Bella, why aren't you back in Washington for the holiday?" Esme asked, filling her wine glass for the fifth time. Bella eyed my mom warily and polished off her own Moscato.

"Well, the holiday slipped my mind until after plane ticket prices had skyrocketed. That was my primary motivation for sticking around."

"That's not the only reason, Bella," Alice said with a snort.

"What else held you to the city?" Charlotte joined in on the inquisition.

Bella sighed and glared at her friend from across the table. "Edward's book release party is next Tuesday, as you all know, and it's kept me slightly busier than I normally am at this time of year."

"My goodness, Edward, what kind of demands do you lay at this poor girl's feet?" Charlotte shook her finger like she was shaming me. "Everyone deserves a chance to spend the holidays with family."

"It's my own doing, Charlotte. I'm a work-a-holic and a perfectionist. It's a rather deadly combination."

"She's right," Alice confirmed. "Once this woman gets moving on a project there's no stopping her."

"Which is precisely why I recommend your firm to everyone and anyone who needs PR services." Esme held her glass in the air for a toast. "To Bella, who, in addition to making my son wildly famous in the literary world, can hopefully manage to tame him outside of the office."

I was mortified. "Mom, really?' I turned my attention to Bella. "You didn't have to stay in town on my behalf. You should have enjoyed the long weekend with family and let me handle some of the work."

"You're paying me to handle the work for you," she reminded me. "Besides, the less time I have to spend in Forks, the happier I am. I get sick with boredom about ten minutes after the plane lands."

"Well, Bella, from what I hear you've done a fantastic job. We're all looking forward to the party next week." My dad smiled warmly at her. I said a silent thank you to him for rescuing her from the drunken moms and their round of twenty questions.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Cullen. I only hope it lives up to everyone's expectations."

"Please, call me Carlisle, and I assure you, it will."

The conversation shifted away from Bella and onto what Charlotte and Esme were planning on wearing to the party. It seemed like the perfect time for me to make my move and rescue Bella before anyone had a chance to pull even more embarrassing questions out of the hat.

"Did you come with Jasper and Alice?" I asked.

She nodded. "They picked me up at my apartment this morning. Why do you ask?"

"You look like you're ready to get out of here. I wanted to offer to assist with your escape." I winked at her and she chuckled.

"Believe it or not, your services would be greatly appreciated right about now." Bella stood up and cleared her dessert plate from the table. I followed suit and grabbed the other empty plates as well.

"I'm going to give Bella a ride home," I explained, depositing the dishes into the sink and turning to face the table. Everyone went quiet and all eyes turned on us.

"Leaving so soon?" Charlotte stood and gave Bella a hug. "It was so good to meet you! I'm hoping – more like guessing – we'll be seeing a lot more of you here in Brooklyn in the near future!"

"Hopefully I can make it down this way again soon." Bella smiled politely and returned the embrace. "Thank you for your hospitality! I had a lovely time."

"Thank you for coming," Peter said, standing and giving Bella a hug himself. "You'll have to forgive the snoop sisters here. This is precisely why Carlisle and I never take them out drinking in public." Charlotte slapped his shoulder and scowled.

The rest of the table said their goodbyes while I retrieved Bella's coat. I helped her put it on and led her out the back door to the alley where my BMW was parked.

"I don't think I've ever been in your car before," she remarked when we were seated. I clicked the heat on and popped a CD into the disc changer.

"I don't drive it very much. Traffic in the city is too crazy."

"It's a good thing you've got Sam. He seems to enjoy his job."

I liked how comfortable the conversation felt. "It keeps him busy, which is a good thing. His wife passed away shortly before he started working for me. I think he welcomes the distraction."

Bella frowned. "That's so sad." She cocked her head to the side and turned up the radio. I had just bought the Kings of Leon disc yesterday and was still trying to figure out whether I liked it or not.

"Are you a fan?"

"What a night for a dance, you know I'm a dancing machine," she sang softly. "They're one of my favorite bands."

I knew I'd love the CD.

"Come to the party with me tomorrow night, Bella." I didn't want to appear desperate, but this was probably the last opportunity I'd have to ask her before we all headed off to Connecticut tomorrow.

"Edward…"

"Please, Bella," I interrupted. "You have every right to think I'm a disgusting pig. I get that, believe me, I do. I just want a chance to show you that I'm something – _someone_ – different."

She sat in silence and stared out the passenger window. I could see her lips moving and I wondered if she was singing more of the song or silently cursing me out.

"Emmett's party is a public thing, Edward," she finally said. "Our friends will be there, people who think they know us will be there, and I'm sure at least one tabloid will have some stupid paparazzi lurking. If you and I show up together, that means this," she gestured to the space between us, "is going to get opened up to speculation. Are you sure you want that, Edward? Because a week ago you didn't even want to stick around for the afternoon to do something as simple as go to a movie with me."

I pulled my car to a stop in front of her apartment and cut the engine.

"What I want is to get to know you better, Bella. I want to spend some time with you – outside the confines of a bedroom or a bar – and learn more about you and your life and the people in it." I sounded like a fucking Lifetime movie. _Playboy to pussy in a matter of weeks – what the hell is going on with you, Cullen?_

"Can I have the night to think about it and I'll call you tomorrow morning?" She finally turned to face me. "I'm tired right now, the turkey is starting to take effect, and my mind is a bit clouded from the wine. I'd rather make a decision I know I won't regret."

Ouch.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you need to do." I reached out and patted her knee. "Go get some sleep and we can talk more in the morning."

"Thank you." She leaned across the center console and pressed her lips against my cheek softly. I closed my eyes and savored the feel of her lips lingering on my skin. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella."

I waited to pull away until she was in the elevator.

This had to be karma. That's right, this was all just a healthy dose of karmic retribution, courtesy of all the times I'd neglected to call a woman back when I said I would, or let her spend the night when I said I would. Yes, karma was catching up to me and biting me in the ass.

Whether or not a woman trusted me had never mattered before. I couldn't figure out why it was so important that Bella _did_ trust me now.

_You know why it's important, moron. Jasper said it himself this afternoon – Bella is different._

From the looks of it, different just might be the death of me.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I stared nervously at my phone.

I knew I told Edward I'd call him, but every time I went to dial his number my stomach twisted in knots, my throat got dry, and I forgot what I wanted to say.

Texting seemed like a much better option at this point. At least it would save me from having to hear the disappointment in his voice when I gave him my answer.

**Thought about it and I think we should fly solo for the party tonight. Riding up with friends. See you in CT. – B**

My finger hovered over the send button for a minute before I gathered the courage to click it. I gulped back my nervousness and silenced the phone, tucking it away in my purse so I could concentrate on getting ready.

Ten minutes later I was in my purse looking for his reply.

**I can live with that – as long as we're both flying solo. I'm nothing if not persistent, Bella. I won't let you get away that easily. – E**

I read the last line three times.

He planned on pursuing me.

I was still playing hard to get.

Could I keep that up for much longer?

_Highly doubtful, Bell. Highly doubtful._

The smile spreading across my face could only mean one thing: I'd finally caught that itch that up until now I'd been so hesitant to scratch.

Edward Cullen just might be the death of me.


	14. Surprise!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday!
> 
> I intended on posting this before taking off to the Nashville Twi Con last week, but ... School happened. Luckily I have a two week break between classes now. :)
> 
> This is unbeta'd due to time constraints, BUT thanks to the always amazing Chloe Masen for all that she does for me each and every day. I know I've said this a zillion times, but check out her stuff. It'll leave you smiling.
> 
> Your reviews make me as happy as all the ladies that have a turn in Eric Packer's limo were. So, please, feel free to leave them. ;)
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

Rose was in the middle of one of her trademark meltdowns when we arrived at the party that evening.

"The fucking caterer only showed up with half the cheesecakes! What the hell am I supposed to do for the rest of the guests?" Rose was pacing back and forth in the kitchen. Mike, Laurent, and I were among the first people to arrive at the Smith's Greenwich house. Laurent hadn't even had a chance to give his keys to the hired valet when we heard Rosalie shrieking inside. I managed to get her out of sight and into the kitchen, but calming her down was proving to be an entirely different story.

"I ordered champagne – twenty bottles of bubbly to be exact, and what the hell do they show up with? Flat dessert wine!" Rose continued her rant. "We can't do a toast-" I reached out and gently covered her mouth with my palm.

"Take a deep breath and relax, please," I said, using my free hand to squeeze her shoulder. "Did the caterer make the rest of the cakes?"

"Of course not!" She pushed my hand away and I watched as her face reddened. "Someone in the chain of command didn't get the mother fucking memo. Then they had the audacity to tell me we could serve cookies in place of the cheesecakes! This is a party for a group of sophisticated adults, not some kiddy gathering!"

I racked my brain, trying to think of a way I could fix things. I knew from experience that Rose was good at making a mountain out of a molehill, and would drag this out all night if she could. I didn't want to see Emmett's party ruined over something as trivial as missing cheesecake.

Alice had just texted me saying that she and Jasper were almost there and I didn't know any of the other people on Rose's mile-long guest list. That left me with one option.

"I'll be right back." Rose looked on in confusion as I slipped out the door and onto the patio. I scrolled through my phone until I found the number I was looking for. I pushed the send button and said a silent prayer.

"Hello, Bella."

"Hi, Edward." I looked over my shoulder to make sure nobody had followed me outside and lowered my voice. "Have you left the city yet?"

"We're just pulling out now. Do you need a ride?"

I crossed my fingers, hoping Edward would do what I was about to ask for _me_ and put his current distaste for Rose and Emmett aside. "I'm actually in Greenwich already. Listen, there's a crisis that needs diffusion here and I was hoping you could help me out."

"What's going on?"

"It's not the end of the world or anything – well, I guess to Rose it is – but, I need to get about fifty pastries and twenty bottles of bubbly up here as soon as humanly possible."

His tone changed from one of concern to one of amusement. "I see. And I was the first person you thought of when it came to taking on this task?"

"You're the only one I know who hasn't left Manhattan yet," I admitted, which made him chuckle. "Please, Edward. Rosalie might blow up the Smith family palace here if I don't do something fast."

"Tell me what I need to do and I'll see if I can make it happen."

I blew out a breath of relief and explained my plan in detail. Neither of us was completely convinced that it could be pulled off on such short notice, but Edward agreed to give it his best.

"Text me when you're almost here and I'll come out to meet you."

"Perfect. Try to stop Rose from demolishing anything before I get there," Edward teased. "I'd hate to miss all the excitement." We said our goodbyes and hung up.

"Who was that?" Mike sidled up next to me and pulled out a cigarette. "And does Greenwich have a SWAT team, because we might need to call them in soon."

"It was Edward," I explained. "Is she getting worse?"

"If the owner of that catering company still has testicles come Monday I'll be shocked." Mike took a long drag and grinned. "Rose is probably wielding a knife as we speak."

"When the weapons come out, I'm leaving." Laurent joked, joining us. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his almost-too-tight skinny jeans and shook his head. "Please tell me you came out here to wave your magic wand and conjure up some cheesecake?"

"Sorry to disappoint but I left my wand at home." I winked and butted my cigarette. "I better get back inside. I have a feeling I'll be spending the evening doing Rosalie Smith damage control."

"The only wand you need to get your hands on tonight is the one in Edward's pants!" Mike smirked. "He's already proven to have the power to drop _your_ panties with one wave of that thing."

"Hers and mine both!" Laurent said with a wink. "That man is dangerous enough as is – imagine the damage he could do if he decided to bat for our team!"

Mike swatted Laurent's shoulder and rolled his eyes. "All the men would line up at his door and then where would we be?"

"In line with them."

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "There will be no waving of any man's wand tonight, boys. I simply called in a favor from him. As Emmett would say, the show must go on."

"Ooooh, does that mean you two are going to give us a show?" Mike wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. I shook my head and started for the house.

"There will be no shows of any sort tonight either," I called over my shoulder. "Except for the one I'm about to go deal with in the kitchen."

"She moved on from the kitchen, honey," Laurent called after me. "She was heading for the living room when I came outside."

I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe Alice wasn't such a bad matchmaker after all. Laurent was perfect for Mike. I hoped that Mike could make it last for more than a few weeks unlike the rest of his relationships.

When I got inside, I was greeted by a flushed Rose yelling into her phone. _Apparently she made it back to the kitchen._ "I don't care if it's a Saturday! I made these arrangements a week ago!"

I stepped forward and took the phone from her. "Hello? Yes, this is Ms. Smith's publicist, Bella Swan. We've got things under control here for now, but Ms. Smith would appreciate it if you could have your manager get in touch with her or me on Monday."

"What the fuck are you doing?" Rose hissed. I put my finger to my lips and gave her a stern look.

"Yes, that would be great. Thank you so much. Enjoy your weekend." I set the phone on the kitchen counter and grabbed Rose's shoulders. "You, my dear, need to calm down before you get yourself blacklisted from every catering company in Manhattan."

"I have every right to be upset!" Rose argued.

"I know that, but I'm taking care of things, so you can stop worrying." I brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face and patted her cheek. "Now, go get yourself freshened up before the man of the hour arrives. Your face is all blotchy and half of it is about the same color as that gorgeous little number you've got on."

"You're really taking care of things?" For the first time since we got there, Rose sounded hopeful.

I nodded and gave her a wink. "Trust me, okay? Now, off you go!" I spun her around and gave her ass a smack. Rose let out a long breath and headed for the stairs.

I opened the fridge and grabbed the first open bottle of wine I saw, pouring myself a generous glass. I'd learned a long time ago that the Smiths considered me a part of their family, and as such I was told never to ask if I wanted something. I gulped the dark colored merlot down and swallowed the biter after taste.

With Rose subdued I could relax for a bit. Other guests were starting to arrive and it was quite clear that the waiters and waitresses would need direction from someone other than the hostess.

I poured one more glass of wine and chugged it down. A warm sensation was already starting to spread throughout my body, and I knew that within minutes I'd be feeling the classic signs of relaxation that a drink or two brought with it.

Yes, we would all make it through this night.

For reasons beyond my comprehension, I knew that Edward would come through for me in the end.

**-=- HC -=-**

"Any luck?"

"Well…" His voice trailed off and it felt like my stomach dropped to the floor. Emmett would be arriving any minute now and I didn't want Rose to lose her shit when he got here.

"Thank you for trying, Edward. I really do appreciate your effort."

"Slow down there, Swan, you didn't let me finish." He did nothing to hide his amusement. "My trunk is full of cheesecake and bubbly."

I was fairly certain I squealed.

"You better not be fucking with me!"

"You obviously don't know Esme very well. Dessert and liquor are two things my mother taught me never to fuck with."

I barked out an obnoxious laugh that sounded more like a cackle. There may have been a snort added in at the end as well.

"I don't even want to know what that was." Edward laughed. "Send some help outside because we just pulled up."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I blurted out before hanging up.

"What was that about?" Mike was becoming quite talented at appearing out of thin air.

"Edward is here with that favor I told you about."

"No shit?" Mike's jaw started to drop but he composed himself. "And here you were trying to tell us you left the magic at home. I'm fairly certain you're the only woman on this side of the Hudson that's ever had that man at her beck and call."

"The only man who's at my beck and call around here is you. So, get that pretty little ass of yours outside and grab a case of bubbly."

Mike set his drink down and saluted me. "Yes, ma'am!"

I followed him and stopped short on the front steps. Edward was leaning against the side of the Town Car with his arms crossed over his chest and that familiar panty-melting grin on his face. His disheveled hair blew in the breeze and the form-fitting sweater he had on showed off the definition of his shoulders and arms.

I resisted the urge to run to him and fling myself into his arms. "You're amazing."

He shook his head and pushed himself off the car, closing the space between us. "I would have to argue that you're the amazing one – and generous too. This isn't even your party."

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a public relations girl at heart. Crisis management is something I've become rather seasoned in."

Edward leaned down until his lips were right next to my ear. "I hope this all meets the hostess's expectations." His breath skirted across my bare skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. He pulled back and looked at me. Chocolate eyes met green ones and I swallowed the lust that always took over my senses whenever he was near.

"The, uh, the hostess doesn't exactly have room to be picky," I stammered out.

"No, but you and I both know she will be regardless."

"What's all the commotion out here?" Rose appeared in the doorway. Her eyes moved from Mike, who was grabbing a second case of bubbly from the trunk, to Edward, to me, and then back to Edward.

"That would be the sound of Edward Cullen saving your ass," Mike huffed out, pushing past Rose and into the house. Her eyes widened and she placed her hands on her hips.

"You brought all this?"

Edward nodded. "Saved by the Wall Street asshole."

I elbowed his side and smiled at Rose. "You had enough to deal with, hun. It was the least we could do."

Rose narrowed her eyes and stared at Edward for a minute. Finally, her expression softened and a smile danced on her lips. "You did good, Cullen. Thank you."

"Emmett's here!" Jasper poked his head around Rose and waved us inside. Edward held his hand out and looked over at me.

"I know we're flying solo, but could we at least do it together?"

I bit my lip and rested my hand in his. He entwined our fingers and squeezed gently. I was done testing him and done resisting him. I would give a little and see how much he wanted to take. I didn't want to dive headfirst into a whirlwind romance overnight, but I was no longer opposed to letting one develop naturally.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

I nodded and squeezed his hand back. "You've been forgiven since last night. I'm just too stubborn to admit things."

He wiped his hand across his brow in an exaggerated gesture and sighed loudly. "Whew! I was beginning to think I'd have to bring out the big guns and ask my mom for dating advice."

"Bella! You're such a vixen! And a lifesaver!" Alice grabbed my free hand as soon as we were inside and pulled me in the direction of the kitchen. I glanced over my shoulder at Edward just as someone turned the lights out. He smirked at me and shook his head.

The room got quiet and I heard the front door swing open.

"Why are the lights off, baby?" Emmett called just before he flipped the switch.

"SURPRISE!" A chorus of voices greeted him. Emmett's eyes grew wide and he stopped in his tracks.

While Rose ran up to Emmett and gave him a kiss that left people whistling and clapping, I looked around for Edward. He was standing where I'd last seen him with his arms wrapped around a slim blonde woman.

Jealousy crawled into my stomach and planted itself there. It was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time and I hated it.

_So much for flying solo together._

I took one more look at Edward and sighed. The anonymous blonde was now running her hand up and down his bicep and whispering something in his ear that made him laugh.

I made a beeline for the fridge and poured myself the remainder of the bottle of wine.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I took a sip of my whiskey sour and plastered another fake smile on my face.

I was so happy when Bella finally accepted my apology and took my hand outside the house. I wanted to jump up and down, pick her up off her feet, and giggle like a little kid.

Of course as soon as we got inside, Alice swept her off in one direction and Irina Denali cornered me. That was three hours ago and I had yet to rid myself of this New York nuisance.

I met Irina six months earlier at an anniversary party for one of my colleagues. She was good looking, wealthy, and remarkably easy, and I fucked her in the coat closet at the hotel before going home that night.

What I didn't realize was that she was also remarkably clingy. She called me at my office relentlessly for weeks after the party, trying – and failing each time – to book a date or get me to accompany her to the next big social function in town. She'd try and monopolize my attention whenever I saw her, and on several occasions she made false remarks to other women just to get them to leave me alone.

All in all, the bitch was batshit crazy.

As luck would have it, she was also linked to Emmett in some way, and that meant I had the pleasure of being graced with her presence for the majority of the party.

"Edward, when are you going to come out and see my new place on Long Island?" Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I drained the rest of my drink and swirled the glass around so the ice clinked against the sides of it.

"I'm not sure. My calendar is looking a little full for the next few months."

She laughed and waved her hand in front of her face. "Don't be silly. That's what you always say! If I didn't know any better I'd think you were purposefully avoiding me."

I tried my best to tune out her mindless chatter. I glanced around the room, stopping when my eyes fell on Bella. She was leaning up against one of the floor-to-ceiling windows and staring at me. She held a glass of wine in one hand while the other toyed nervously with the charm that hung around her neck. Her eyes flicked away when she realized I'd caught her mid-stare, but returned to mine quickly. A shy smile crept across her face and she raised her glass in the air at me.

I took that as my cue. "Irina, it was lovely catching up. Perhaps I'll see that Long Island house sometime in the spring?"

"Leaving already? It's not even midnight!" Irina went to stand, but I held my hand out and motioned for her to stay seated.

"I'm here with a friend actually."

"Well in that case, it would be rude for you not to introduce me to him!" She moved to stand up again and I shook my head.

"I believe _she_ has already been waiting on me long enough." I nodded at the other two women who were seated with us and smiled. "Take care ladies. Enjoy the party."

I kept my eyes trained on Bella as I stalked across the room toward her. The feel of Irina's eyes on my back actually felt good this time. I hoped after tonight she would take the hint and leave me alone.

"I was wondering if you were still here," Bella said when I was within earshot. I stood next to her and draped my arm across her shoulders.

"Irina Denali had me pigeonholed," I explained. Bella furrowed her brow in confusion and I nodded my head in the direction of my freakish stalker. "The blonde on the loveseat."

"Is she a member of the Cullen Casualties Club?" Bella teased.

I winced. "Cullen Causalities Club? Is that what the ladies of New York are calling it these days?"

"Well, I'm going easy on you here. I'm sure some of them have far more choice words they use." Bella sipped her wine and chuckled. "Like Blondie over there. If looks could kill, you and I would both be dead by now."

I leaned down so my face was next to Bella's. "Can I tell you a secret?"

She turned her head until our eyes met. "As long as you don't expect me to keep it for very long."

I wet my lips with my tongue and smirked. Her sass made my dick twitch. "There's at least one member of the Swan Casualties Club present tonight as well."

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson color and she looked away. "I have no idea who you could be referring to."

I slid my arm lower so it rested against her waist. I knew Irina and her gaggle were watching us, and I was almost positive we'd garnered the attention of at least a few other guests in the room, but their opinions didn't matter to me.

"Want to get out of here?"

Her eyes met mine once more and she bit her lip. I reached up and tugged at it with my thumb, pulling it from the confines of her teeth and brushing my rough skin across it. Her breath skirted across my knuckles in an airy wisp as she said the one word I was hoping to hear.

"Yes."

I took her wine glass and set it down on a nearby table. Bella watched on in silence as I entwined our fingers once more and led her through the living room and out the front door.

Once we were outside, I slowed my pace and she fell into step beside me. "I told Sam to wait around the other side of the house."

"He's been here this whole time?"

I shook my head. "No, I called him about twenty minutes ago."

"Does he know someone in this area or did he just find something to amuse himself with?"

We rounded the corner and the familiar Town Car came into sight. "I think he used to have family up here perhaps? I'm not entirely sure. You can ask him if you'd like."

"No, it's not important." Bella let go of my hand and opened the back door of the car. "Ladies first."

I rolled my eyes and flipped her the bird before climbing in and sliding across the seat. Sam was hunched over the steering wheel laughing. "Bella thinks I sprouted ovaries at the party."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure you've always had them. That would explain the mood swings and erratic behavior," she teased.

I clutched my hands over my heart in a dramatic gesture and tipped my head back against the seat. "Ouch! Oh, my wounded pride!"

Sam pulled away from the curb and glanced at me in the rear view mirror. "Where am I headed?"

I shrugged. "Wherever the lady would like to go."

Bella tapped her finger against her chin, pretending to be lost in thought. "I do believe you can drop me off at my place, Sam."

"First you call me a lady, then you ask me to take you straight home. Care to do anything else that might make me feel even more stripped of my manhood?"

Bella rested her hand on my knee and squeezed lightly. "Oh, please. You're stuck in a car with me for an hour and after Tuesday you'll be stuck with me for-" She stopped mid-sentence and glanced down at her lap. "Well, let's just say we're in this for the long haul once your book comes out."

"What exactly are we in? I'm not even sure we've defined that yet." I couldn't help but smirk. My words made her nervous and I loved it.

"Well, we have a professional partnership," she sputtered out. I bit back a grin and did my best to keep a straight face.

"Is that all this is? I was under the impression it was more?"

"You've been back in my good graces for less than twenty-four hours, Cullen. Don't push your luck."

I laughed. "I'm only giving you a hard time, Swan, although I did assume forgiveness came with a second date attached."

Her cheeks heated up in a sexy blush. "Second date, maybe. Something more official, not quite yet."

"Not quite _yet_ ," I repeated. "I'm going to take that as meaning I shouldn't give up quite yet either."

She removed her hand from my knee and stretched her legs out across the seat, leaning her back against the opposite door and resting her heel-clad feet in my lap. "To quote you, Mr. Cullen, "giving up is never an option,'" she said, using her fingers to make air quotes.

"Yes, but romance and the stock market are two entirely different ballparks."

"Not necessarily." Bella leaned her head back against the window and closed her eyes. "The risks are high, there's no guaranteed return on one's investment, and the value of a commodity can rise and fall multiple times in a single day. Not to mention some of said commodities are far overvalued. I'd have to argue that these two ballparks are more alike than you think."

This time I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. "Touché, my friend. Perhaps you should consider writing a book on the economic outlook of the dating market."

"Ha!" Bella's eyes blinked open and she leaned over to grab her purse from the floor. "Nobody would have any romantic success if I was the one behind the wheels of that train."

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" I locked eyes with her and held her gaze until Sam brought the car to a stop in front of her apartment.

"I, uh, I believe this is my stop." She slid her legs off my lap and swung the car door open. "Thank you for the ride. I'm sure we'll talk before Tuesday."

"Whoa, wait a second." I climbed out of the car and jogged around to her side, grabbing her wrist gently and turning her to face me. "Can I walk you to your door?"

She bit her bottom lip and let her eyes roam over my chest and torso. "How about we compromise and say the elevator?"

"The elevator it is," I said, sliding my fingers down her wrist and grasping her hand in mine. "For the record, this never happens."

She glanced at me out the corner of her eye. "You walking a woman to her elevator?"

I chuckled. "Well, that too, but I was referring to my agreeing to compromise."

"Perhaps we should invest in a joint calendar to start marking all these monumental occasions down on?" The sass I was growing to adore had returned. I held the door for her and followed her inside to the lobby of the building.

"In that case, let's add another occasion to that list," I said softly, reaching out and resting my hands gently on her shoulders.

"What occasion would that be?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"The first time I gave you a kiss – a _sober_ kiss – in front of your elevator." I brushed my fingers down her arms, grabbing her hands and bringing them up so they wrapped around the back of my neck. I raised one hand to her face, caressing the soft skin of her cheek with the back of my knuckles before cupping her chin and pulling her face towards me.

As I looked into her eyes, I realized just how vulnerable she really was. Not in a young, naive way, but because she really was taking a chance by opening up to me, and giving me the power to do potentially irreparable damage to her heart.

Her fingers found my hair at the same time our lips met, and I could feel her tongue pushing against my teeth, silently asking permission to go further. I opened my mouth and let our tongues slide against one another as we familiarized ourselves with the once explored but still unfamiliar territory.

I wound my arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against mine, deepening our kiss. A soft moan escaped her and hummed off her lips. It felt like the nerves in my body were igniting one-by-one. I decided then and there that if given the chance, I would fully choose to live inside a kiss with Bella.

I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers, bringing my hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?"

"Forgiveness," I answered simply. I kissed the tip of her nose and pulled back. She smiled up at me.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"My first elevator door kiss," she said, standing on her toes and pressing her lips against my jaw. She backed up and pressed the button for the elevator.

I took a few steps forward and bent my head down so my lips were level with her ear. "Are you sure I can't come upstairs? Just for a bit?"

Bella smiled but shook her head. "I don't want to go down that road again if we're really going to give this a shot."

"Thank you again."

"What for now?"

"Keeping me in check." I laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "When can I book that second date?"

The elevator door opened and she stepped inside. "After your release party."

"You're going to make me wait that long?" I whined.

"The book is out in three days, asshat." She pushed the button for her floor and winked at me. "I think you can survive for at least six."

I stuck my lip out in a pout as the door started to close. "You're such a fucking tease."

"Good things come to those who wait, Mr. Cullen." She called out just before the doors shut.

I smirked and ran a hand through my hair.

In three days my book would be out.

In six days we'd have our second date – a date which I _wouldn't_ screw up with alcohol or shitty behavior.

For the first time in six weeks it seemed as if everything in my life was going right.

With any luck, this positive streak would continue to last.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I arrived at the W an hour and a half before Edward's party was scheduled to start. Alice, being her Type-A self, insisted on coming with and making sure I didn't lift a finger. She knew me all too well, and was quick to point out the fact that I'd hired people to do the dirty work for me. All I needed to worry about was making sure everything went as planned.

"I don't like the placement of this." Alice pointed at the display of autographed copies of Edward's books. "I think it would be better by the door. Then each guest can get their copy when they come in, which will keep them talking about the book throughout the night."

I nodded in agreement and waved over a member of the hotel's event staff. "Can we move these over by the main door?"

"Absolutely. Are you satisfied with the display itself, Ms. Swan?"

"The display looks great, thank you." I picked up one of the books and ran my fingertips over the glossy cover. A college aged man holding a fanned out wad of cash with green question marks in place of the president's faces stared back up at me. A half a dozen thought bubbles with words like "CD," "Bond," and "IRA" surrounded his figure, and a large, intruding bank stood behind him. I stared at the picture in awe, mesmerized not by the photo itself, but by Edward's name beneath the title. I flipped the cover open and read the cheesy message he'd scribbled above his signature: "Here's to every dollar in your future."

"Bella? Hello?" Alice snapped her fingers in front of my eyes and grabbed the book from me. She set it back down on the stack and shot the man handling the display an apologetic smile. "You can swoon over Edward's signature all you want when you get home. Hell, he's probably got a specially signed copy waiting for you at his apartment or something."

"I wasn't swooning!" I insisted, cringing as the chagrin spread across my cheeks.

"You were too swooning, and don't try to hide it from me." Alice tapped the tip of my nose and winked at me. "I'm your best friend dearie, I can see right through this façade. Besides, none of us were oblivious to the fact that you left Em's party with Edward, not Mike and Laurent."

I bit my lip to stop the ridiculous smile that wanted to unleash itself at the memory of the kiss we'd shared when he dropped me off. Never before had I met a man who could make me feel he way Edward did with something as simple as a feather light touch.

"And off to cloud nine you go again." Alice shook her head and chuckled. "You better wipe that blush off your cheeks and clear the fog out of your brain because your dream boat just walked in."

I turned and saw Edward sauntering towards us. His hands were in his pockets and he had a playful smirk on his face.

"I'm going to do a lap and make sure everything is ready before the guests start arriving." Alice smiled and patted Edward awkwardly on the back. "Congratulations, Edward."

"Thank you, Alice." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

I shifted back and forth on my feet, unsure of exactly what I wanted to say. Edward took care of that for me, however. He leaned in and brushed his lips gently against my earlobe, whispering, "Everything is perfect, just as I knew it would be."

The chagrin returned to my face, but this time I did nothing to stop my smile. "I'm so glad it meets your expectations."

"To be honest, I didn't really have any expectations," Edward admitted. "I've never been to one of these things before and I've certainly never had one thrown in my honor."

"Either way, I'm happy that you're happy."

Edward turned so he was standing next to me and surveyed the surroundings. "So what happens at a book release party exactly?"

I laughed. I couldn't believe we hadn't discussed this previously. I made a mental note to kick myself when I got home. "Well, your guests should start arriving any moment, and each one will get a signed copy of your book when they come in the door. Some reporters will be here asking questions, mainly to you, maybe to a few others, and to Embry. People will socialize, eat, you can make a speech if you want, and that's about it."

"For sounding so easy I sure as hell am nervous."

I smiled. Edward's vulnerable side rarely made an appearance. "You'll do amazing. You always do." I looked up to see several people filing through the door and grabbing copies of the book. "Your guests are starting to arrive. I'm going to make myself invisible."

"What?" Edward looked at me in alarm. "You can't leave me alone out here. I have no idea what I'm doing!"

"Embry should be here any minute. He'll be glued to your side all night." I winked and turned to head for the bar before Edward could say anything else. I didn't want any of our outside behavior to mingle into his party tonight. Nothing good could come from that.

"Are you ready to watch another Erickson and Swan event go off without a hitch?" Alice asked, handing me a cocktail and pushing out the barstool next to her. I sank down onto it and blew out a sigh of both nervousness and relief.

"Absolutely."

Nobody needed to know how far from the truth that answer was.

**\- = - HC - = -**

"Bella!" Esme wrapped her arms around me and gave me a light squeeze. "Once again your firm has amazed me. This party is lovely!"

"Thank you so much," I said, blushing. I glanced at the group of people around me, taking note of who was still present. Carlisle, Peter, and Charlotte stood a few feet away, engaged in an animated conversation. Rosalie was telling a story to our group of friends that had both Mike and Laurent looking like they might piss themselves from laughing so hard. Edward and Embry were talking to a reporter from _The Journal_. Everyone I had hoped would be there was.

Now seemed like the perfect time for me to make my long-awaited announcement.

"Excuse me," I said, clapping my hands together. The chatter died down and thirteen pairs of eyes turned to face me. Edward held his hand up, signaling for me to wait, but Embry caught my eye and winked, nudging Edward in my direction with his elbow. _The Journal_ reporter raised his brows in confusion and shrugged, following Edward several yards closer to me so he could hear what I was about to say.

"I have a very special announcement to make," I began. All of the faces staring back at me now wore the same expression of confusion. Embry was the only exception; he looked on with a big smile. "How I've managed to keep this under wraps for as long as I have is a wonder even to me, especially given who I have for a business partner. Alice is a master detective, as some of you know."

Alice smirked, Rose and Edward rolled their eyes, and Jasper leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"The only person in this room that's privy to the information I'm about to release is Edward's publisher, Embry Call. Before I start, I just want to thank him for all the help he's given me over the past few weeks. It's been invaluable and I definitely couldn't have pulled any of this off without him."

Embry raised his glass and moved through the small group until he was standing next to me. "I'm equally excited in regards to what Bella is about to announce."

I took a deep breath and continued. "After weeks of negotiating and ironing out details, I'm very excited to announce we've managed to line up a six week long, six city book signing tour for Edward." Edward's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. "The first date will be January 12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois."

"Edward! This is amazing!" Esme exclaimed, wrapping her arm around her son and squeezing him into a half-hug. Edward nodded and continued to look at Embry and I in amazement.

"The excitement doesn't stop there," Embry interjected. "In addition to book signings, he will be giving a lecture to a group of finance majors at a university in each of the cities, starting with the University of Chicago."

"Last, but not least, New York University has invited him to be a keynote commencement speaker at the December graduation ceremony," I announced. Carlisle and Peter started clapping, and soon everyone in our small circle had followed suit. _The Journal_ reporter was busy scribbling furiously on his notepad, and I said a silent thanks to whatever lucky stars had aligned to put him there in the middle of our announcement. This would be great publicity and other outlets would surely pick up on it.

"How did you do all of this?" Alice hissed in my ear. I shrugged and smirked.

"All in a day in the life of a PR exec, my dear." I said smugly. Alice punched my shoulder lightly and chuckled.

"Whatever strings you pulled, whatever magic you conjured up, good fucking job. This is a huge deal and Edward is a huge client."

 _Oh, Alice. Always so focused on the business side of things._ I, on the other hand, was more excited about the expression on Edward's face as he made his way toward me.

"Can I just kiss you? Right fucking here in the middle of this room?" He shook his head in disbelief and took me in his arms, squeezing me tight against him. I laughed and patted his back, unsure of how to respond.

"As much as I'd love-" Edward grabbed my face with his hands and pressed his lips against mine, effectively silencing me. From the corner of my eye I saw Charlotte tug on the sleeve of Esme's sweater and point at us.

"Do your clients kiss you?" I heard Jasper whisper to Alice, who promptly shushed him.

The kiss was short and sweet, and Edward was all smiles when he released my face from his sumo hold.

"That was sufficiently awkward," I mumbled. Edward rolled his eyes and took a few steps away from me, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry, I forgot the no-physical-contact-in-public-venues rule," he snarked out. I was about to blurt back my own witty response when the _Journal_ reporter approached us.

"Will Edward be doing this book signing tour by himself?"

"No, he will have someone accompanying him," I answered.

"Who will that be? Mr. Call?"

Embry stepped between Edward and I and slung his arms around our shoulders. "No, unfortunately I have obligations here in the city that prevent me from going."

"So who's going with me?" Edward asked curiously.

"Ms. Swan will be accompanying Edward on the book signing tour," Embry answered.

I balked at this announcement. Embry and I had briefly discussed having someone go on the tour with Edward, but as of our last meeting, nothing had been decided yet. Once again, everyone around us was surprised. Alice looked like she was about to burst. Rose and Emmett exchanged a glance that could only be described as worry, and I could tell Edward was trying his best to contain the excitement he felt.

"Bella! You must be so excited!" Charlotte exclaimed. She and Esme ascended on Embry, rapid firing questions about what cities were included, how long we'd be in each place, and where we'd be staying.

I took a few steps back, removing myself from the chaos and letting my mind wander.

Six cities.

Six weeks.

Edward Cullen would be the only person by my side.

The thought alone unleashed a swarm of butterflies in my stomach and made my lady parts start to dance.

Six weeks wasn't much time, but it was enough to change things – and to change me.

If I wasn't in deep enough with Edward now, I knew that by the end of February I surely would be.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I felt like a kid in a candy store on Christmas morning.

I was going on a book signing tour.

Universities wanted _me_ to come and speak to their students.

Hell, NYU wanted _me_ to give a speech at fucking commencement.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, I found out Bella was the one coming on the book tour with me.

Six cities.

Six weeks.

Me and Bella.

Alone.

Six weeks wasn't a lot of time, but deep down I knew it was long enough for Bella Swan to completely own me.


	15. Home for the Holidays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! :)
> 
> I thought this chapter would be shorter than the others, but it really isn't. There's some jumps, but that's really not such a bad thing, because it leaves me with lots of outtake material.
> 
> Unbeta'd yet again, but I'm showering Chloe Masen with lots of hugs, kisses, and love for being simply amazing. *MUAH*
> 
> AND, a very special shout out goes to Rebecca from Esme's Heart! I met her in TN about a month ago and she had nothing but nice things to say about this story. Thank you so much, sweetie! LOTS and LOTS of love to you!
> 
> One more chapter (which may or may not contain a few NYE kisses) and then these crazy kids embark on the book tour!
> 
> Reviews make me as slap happy as the new Premiere Magazine photos of Rob did this week - so don't feel shy, go ahead and leave one! ;)
> 
> Chapter Song: Everybody Talks by Neon Trees.
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Recognizable people and places belong to their respective owners. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

It had been a little over two weeks since Edward's book release party and my head hadn't stopped spinning.

The article in _The Journal_ sent some people into a frenzy, and not just because of the news of the book tour. A single sentence about his "rush to give his 'publicist', Bella Swan, a kiss of thanks" had left people focused not only on Edward's book, but also on our "budding romance," as the trash rags referred to it.

Everything I'd hoped wouldn't happen was happening and I felt like there wasn't much I could do to stop it.

"Ms. Swan?" The Barnes and Noble employee greeted me politely. "We're ready for Mr. Cullen."

"Great! Edward – er, Mr. Cullen – should be here any minute." The employee gave me a tight-lipped smile and pivoted away, heading back in the direction of the line that had started to form about an hour earlier.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and punched a quick text in.

_**Where are you? – B.** _

"I'm right here, oh impatient one," Edward drawled, stopping beside me to straighten his tie. I crossed my arms over my chest and eyed him with irritation.

He looked amazing, as usual. Nice suit, nice shoes, gorgeous grin. His hair was tousled enough that it looked sexy, not messy, and his green eyes were ablaze with energy.

"I'm so glad you decided to put in an appearance at your first book signing," I muttered, reaching out to pull a piece of lint from his suit coat. He raised his hand and covered mine with it, squeezing my fingers gently.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I wish I had a creative excuse to give you, but I don't. My time management skills haven't gotten any better with age."

"C'mon, they're waiting for you." I pulled my hand away and stepped aside, allowing him to walk in front of me. The Barnes and Noble employee gave a brief introduction to both Edward and his book and then the signing started.

I stood several feet behind Edward and off to the left. I'd seen other publicists play this role in the past, but I'd never done it myself up until now. Of course these other publicists also worked with A-List authors who drew in massive crowds and had fans that didn't understand how to behave appropriately. Needless to say, there wasn't too much excitement during this signing.

Unless you counted Laurent and Mike's antics as excitement, that is.

"Edward Cullen! The stars finally aligned and put me in your presence!" Mike gushed, pushing his already signed copy of Edward's book across the table.

Edward laughed and opened the book to the title page, frowning in confusion. "This is already signed."

"Of course it is, genius. It's from the release party." Laurent pushed past the employee that was monitoring the line and bumped Mike out of his way, placing his book on the table as well. "But _we_ want them personalized."

"I see," Edward grabbed Mike's book and tapped his pen against his chin. "What to write…"

"To Mike, the best looking, most well-endowed man in Manhattan."

Laurent rolled eyes his and scoffed. "More like the most delusional, hot mess in the Empire State."

"Gentlemen, we have a whole line of people to get through. Could you please be more concise so Mr. Cullen can sign your books?" The employee assisting Edward was becoming impatient.

"Excuse me? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Mike puffed his chest out and pushed his nose up in the air. Edward bit back a laugh and glanced helplessly at me.

I thought for a moment before stepping forward and whispering something to him. A grin spread across his face, and he pulled Mike's book toward him, scribbling a short message inside and handing it back. He did the same thing to Laurent's book and then shooed them on with an exaggerated flick of his wrist.

"OH MY STARS!" Laurent's shriek echoed throughout the store. I snorted out a laugh, surprising myself, and covered my mouth quickly. Edward simply winked at me and greeted the woman who had just approached the table.

Time seemed to fly and before long the last patron had come through the line and the store employees were busy taking down the table and moving the display. Edward chatted with the store manager while I phoned Sam. Within twenty minutes we were seated in the back of the Town Car, on our way to meet our friends for drinks.

"How did I do?" Edward asked, reminding me of a school-aged kid asking about his first big homework assignment. I smiled and reached over to squeeze his forearm.

"Perfect," I answered honestly. "You're a natural at this. If I didn't know you I would never have guessed that was your first signing."

His smile widened and he did a mini fist pump. "That was such an amazing experience, Bella. I mean, it's one thing to get together and celebrate your book's release with family and friends, but it's a whole new feeling having people come out just to meet you because you wrote something that resonated with them."

The excitement he felt was radiating off him, leaving me feeling hopelessly excited too. His eyes were sparkling, his skin was practically glowing, and it took every ounce of strength I had to keep myself on the seat and out of his lap.

"Tomorrow is going to be insane," he continued. "In a good way, of course."

"You aren't nervous?"

He raked a hand through his hair and chuckled. "I'm scared shitless," he admitted. "But at this moment, my excitement from tonight is overshadowing everything else."

"Well, then by all means, let the excitement continue!" Sam pulled the car to a stop and we both got out. I held the door to the pub open and gestured for Edward to enter. "Hot shot book authors first."

We found our friends squeezed around a much-too-small table in the very back corner of the place. It was insanely busy, an Irish punk rock band was belting out music so loud that we had to shout to hear one another, and it seemed like forever before the waitress made it over to take our drink order.

"We saved you a seat!" Mike yelled at Edward, patting the empty chair between him and Laurent.

"I think I'll sit by Bella, thanks," Edward said. I laughed and shook my head, placing my hands flat against his back and pushing him towards the open space.

"I think you owe it to these two to sit there," I said, trying my best to keep a blank expression. "After all, they took the time to save this seat for you."

"Yeah, Cullen. Don't be a puss. It's not like our gayness spreads through the air," Laurent quipped.

"Alright, gentlemen, whatever you want." Edward slid the chair out and sat down. Mike looked giddy as I rounded the table and took the other open spot between Alice and Rose.

"How was the rest of the signing?" Laurent asked.

"Not nearly as entertaining as when you two were there."

"Then you shouldn't have let that disgusting, bossy, pimple faced man shoo us out so quick!" Mike looked hurt.

"Yeah, Cullen." Laurent scowled. "You could have at least bought us an extra five minutes to do some public swooning before giving us the boot."

Edward held his hands up in defeat. "What can I say? I don't make the rules."

Mike took a sip of his cosmo and scoffed. "Perhaps we need to find someone to better enforce the rules than that hot mess over there." He stuck one finger out and pointed in my direction.

"How did I get dragged into this?"

"You're the publicist, honey. Isn't it your job to ensure that your client gets adequate time with his fans?"

"Oh, please, Newton. Are you even going to read the fucking book?" Rose interjected.

"Probably not, but I will add it to my coffee table collection. I'm bound to have at least one guest that's curious about finance."

"What were you swooning over anyway?" Alice piped up.

" _We_ got our books personalized." Laurent reached beneath the table and produced his copy of Edward's book. He handed it to Alice, who flipped it open and cleared her throat.

"To Laurent," she said in her best imitation of Edward's voice. "Put your money where your mouth is and your mouth where Mike's money maker is." Alice barely got the last word out before she started laughing.

"Wow." Emmett's eyes were wide but amusement was evident in his features. "That'll be something to show the grandkids someday."

Laurent choked on his beer. "Grandkids? Oh, honey, I'd eat pussy before I had _any_ kind of kids." This remark caused another round of laughter.

Alice turned her attention to Mike. "What does your personalization say?"

"Oh, it's nothing special," Mike answered quickly, waving his hand in the air dismissively. "I'm sure Edward wants to talk more about the signing."

"Oh no, you're not getting off the hook that quick." Alice held her hand out and snapped her fingers. "Hand it over, Newton. Don't make me have to go looking."

Mike rolled his eyes and let out a loud, disgusted sigh. He reached beneath the table and produced his own book, reluctantly giving it to Alice.

"To Mike," Alice read. "Some choose to invest in stocks and bonds; you should invest in a dom."

Rose and I immediately burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!" He snatched the book from Alice and stuffed it under his thigh. "As much as you three ladies love to dredge up the past, there are some of us who would be much happier if it was left there."

"Consider this payback for your 'Great Red Carpet Disaster of 2009' bullshit." I used my fingers to make air quotes.

"You can't even compare the two, sweetie. _That_ fiasco was entirely _your_ doing."

"The great what?" Jasper looked back and forth between Mike and I with a confused expression.

"You haven't told any of them this story yet?" Mike rubbed his palms together excitedly. I didn't even bother to protest because I knew it was no use. "We were all at fashion week for Rose's show and Bella here just happened to be walking the red carpet behind none other than Josh Duhamel. Everything was fine until she stepped down funny and broke the heel off her shoe, which sent her flying into him and that Fergalicious wife of his. They all three ended up in a pile on the ground."

Emmett whooped with laughter. "How did we not see pictures of this all over the place?"

"Oh, trust me, the pictures are there," I answered. As embarrassing as it was, I couldn't help but laugh myself at the memory. "If you do some good Googling you'll find them."

"After that our darling Washington woman started wearing flats to every event, regardless of how ridiculous she looked." Mike reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, and right now you better thank your lucky stars that the feeling is mutual," I teased. "I'm sure Laurent would _love_ to hear some dirt on you."

"I can beat the dirt out of him, Bella. What I want to hear about is Edward's speech tomorrow and why none of us get to go!" Laurent waved his empty beer bottle in the air in an attempt to get the attention of our waitress.

"They invited me at the last minute and all the tickets were gone already," Edward explained.

"Tickets? Who the fuck needs a ticket to get into a graduation?"

"It was like that back when we graduated too," Jasper said with a shrug.

"Well, make sure you tell the dean or whoever that your fan club is _very_ disappointed," Laurent whined, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. Edward just laughed and tipped his beer back.

Three hours and too many drinks later we were all feeling happy, with the exception of Edward who had elected to stay mostly sober.

"C'mon, Swan!" Alice slung her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her as we made our way outside. "You can share a cab with me!"

"I thought you were coming home with me?" Jasper tried to get Alice into her coat but his attempts were unsuccessful.

"I'll come see you tomorrow, Jazz." She stood on her tiptoes and planted a sloppy kiss on his lips, pulling me along with her. I laughed and tried to break free of her hold, but she only tightened her grip. "Stop trying to escape, Swan! You're stuck with me!"

"And me!" Rose linked her arm through my free one and rested her head against my shoulder. "A drunken ride home in a taxi! How fucking Harvard is this shit?"

"TAXI!" Alice screamed, finally letting go of my waist and twirling around on the curb. Jasper reached out and caught her just as she was about to twirl into the street. A cab pulled up and the boys said their goodnights.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" I whispered to Edward. He grinned and nodded.

"Absolutely."

"I'm just a wee bit drunk right now," I admitted, holding up my hand and trying to show him what a wee bit was. "I'll text you in the morning with plans."

"Try not to vom in the taxi."

"Try not to fuck your speech up tomorrow!" Both hands flew to cover my mouth when I realized what I'd said. My verbal filter had dissolved several drinks earlier.

Edward just shook his head and laughed. "Go home and sleep, Swan. We'll talk mañana."

"Who has a banana?" Alice called from inside the taxi. Rose nudged me into the car and slammed the door shut behind her.

"You are never drinking with us again, Erickson. This always fucking happens!"

"If I had a banana for every time you said something like that-" Rose reached across me and clamped her hand over Alice's mouth before she could continue.

"I don't even want to know where she was going with that," Rose whispered. I smiled and tipped my head back against the seat.

"Have I told you both how much I love you?"

"Awwww!" Alice wrestled free of Rose and threw her arms around my neck, pulling me toward her and planting a bit, sloppy kiss on the side of my eyelid. "I love you too, Jelly Bellie!"

"Thanks for the face washing, munchkin." I pulled away and blew a raspberry in her face. She just giggled harder.

"Just like Harvard," Rose muttered with a smile. I leaned my head against her shoulder and sighed in happiness.

It wouldn't matter how old we were, whether one of us, all of us, or none of us had boyfriends, or what point in life we were at; these girls would always be my favorite accessories.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

The holidays were a time of year that I both loved and hated.

I loved the décor throughout the city, I loved spending time with my family, and I loved getting a few extra days off from work. I also loved receiving gifts, even though I'd long ago passed the age when they went from being entertaining to practical.

On the other hand, I hated the crowds. Getting around the city could already be difficult enough, but when the mass of holiday shoppers and out-of-towners got added to the mix, it made things damn near impossible. I also hated having to actually come up with ideas for gifts to give, because there were people out there like my mother who refused to take a gift card because it was "too boring."

This year, the arrival of Christmas meant I was one week closer to embarking on my book tour. In addition to my usual love-hate feelings for the holiday itself, I was also feeling an overwhelming sense of excitement that only grew stronger with each day that passed. Of course my excitement was accompanied by a sense of nervousness because I'd be spending six straight weeks with Bella by my side.

Since Emmett's surprise party, Bella and I had gone on three dates. I planned the first two, wanting to show her that I was capable of being thoughtful and to make up for my previous behavior. I had Jasper talk to Alice, who was more than willing to provide him with some much-needed information about Bella. This information turned out to be extremely helpful, especially when it came to planning our "second first dates," as I liked to refer to them. I took her to see Chicago on our first night out, because it was her favorite Broadway show. On our second date I took her to an art gallery opening in SoHo, which she'd apparently been begging the girls to accompany her to for weeks.

Bella planned our third and most recent date, which consisted of going ice-skating at the Rockefeller rink and out for hot chocolate after. I spent more time sliding around the ice on my ass than I did skating, but the walk home made up for it. Bella told me some of the things she wanted to do during her down time on the book tour, and when we got to her apartment she let me steal a kiss, tongue and all. I still hadn't been invited back into her bed, and I didn't dare move to invite her into mine, but I was okay with that. She'd grown on me, and her consistent company continued to be a welcome break from my normal routine.

Emmett was quick to point out that sooner or later Bella and I would need to have a discussion about what direction we wanted to see things go in. It had been so long since I'd gotten into a relationship that I had no idea what I was doing or how to even start that type of a conversation. Jasper told me not to worry so much, and that when the time was right the words would just come.

Emmett was also quick to remind me that he knew about the initial bet, and if I did anything to hurt Bella or to pull away from her again if things got serious, he would "beat my pretty boy ass" and tell Rosalie. He was still convinced there were some ulterior motives behind my spending time with Bella, even though both Jasper and I had told him the bet was a done deal. I kindly pointed out that Rose would likely serve his balls up on a platter next to mine if she knew he had knowledge of the bet this entire time and didn't say something. That effectively put a stop to his "I'll tell Rose" threats. It did nothing to ease his worry about my intentions, however.

"Edward! Can you please get the door?" The sound of my mother's voice combined with the incessant ringing of the doorbell interrupted my stream of thought. I jumped up from my spot at the dining room table and jogged to the foyer.

"Merry Christmas!" Jasper shoved a foil-covered casserole dish into my open hands and smiled.

Charlotte scooted past her son and under my arm. "I was going to give you another sixty seconds before I had Peter kick the door down!"

"Edward was too busy daydreaming to bother answering the door." My mom winked at Charlotte and took her coat.

"Daydreaming about Bella?" Charlotte teased. The moms had been on my ass about Bella ever since I kissed her at the book release party. Looking back I probably shouldn't have done it in such a public place, because as soon as the damn _Journal_ reporter let the cat out of the bag, the trash rags picked up on it and the rumors started. I was just so fucking excited at the time that I couldn't resist.

"Why Edward, I do believe you're blushing!" Carlisle stopped in the doorway and smirked.

"He's been doing that an awful lot lately," Jasper remarked.

"Fuck you, Whitlock," I hissed. My mother shot me a disapproving look and shook her head.

"Language, Edward. I know you're not twelve anymore, but it's Christmas."

"Is anyone going to help me bring the rest of this stuff in?" Peter called out. My dad made a beeline for the door, hitting both Jasper and I on the back of the head as he walked by.

"Think we can get him to admit to his feelings before the end of the year? It's less than a week away!" I heard Charlotte say to my mom. I rolled my eyes and cursed silently while the two of them giggled.

"This is going to be a long day," I muttered. Jasper chuckled and patted my shoulder.

"Give them a few details about your last three dates and they'll happy."

I shook my head. "No way. I don't want to be the topic of Christmas."

"You already _are_ the topic of Christmas – and the wine hasn't even been poured yet!"

"Boys, boys, boys." Peter dropped the bags he was carrying and put his arms around our shoulders, leaning us all in so our heads were touching. "Haven't you learned anything about your mothers in the past thirty-one years?"

Jasper and I looked at him quizzically.

"If you let them think _they_ stumbled upon some major social discovery they'll be satisfied." I stared blankly at Peter and he continued. "All your friends know you and Bella have been going out, right? Well, the moms don't need to know that. One of them is bound to bring it up again at dinner, so just fess up to it, pretend that it's new news to all, and it'll give them something to keep occupied with for the rest of the day. Details aren't even necessary."

My dad, who was standing a few feet away listening, burst out laughing. He picked up the bags that Peter had dropped and smirked. "Peter's right. Your mothers may be two educated, well-respected women, but it doesn't take much to satisfy their curiosity."

I thought about this as I helped Jasper finish setting the table. I'd gone so long without a girlfriend that I forgot what dealing with Esme's interrogation tactics was like. _Perhaps I should give Peter's advice a try and see where it takes me?_

Two hours later we were done with dinner and started opening gifts. Two bottles of wine were down and Charlotte had just cracked open the third. I could tell something was up before my mom even spoke.

"You know, there's one gift I've wanted for years but have yet to find under the tree."

"What gift is that honey?" My dad asked.

My mom looked at me and smiled. "A daughter-in-law and some grandchildren to spoil rotten."

"We're in the same boat, Es, except I think Jasper just might have found that daughter-in-law in Alice." Charlotte handed Esme a glass of wine and took a large sip from her own.

"Mom, please-" I started, but Esme held her hand up and silenced me.

"No 'mom, please' on Christmas, Edward!" She cocked her head to the side and fixed me with one of her infamous stares. "Jasper is getting it together. Why can't you?"

"Because, mom, I'm not Jasper." I ran my hand through my hair and tugged nervously at the ribbon on the gift that sat in my lap. "Look, Bella is great, but I need to do things at my own pace. Right now I have so much going on with the book tour and with work that I don't have time for anything but a date here and there."

"A ha!" Charlotte almost dropped her wine. "So you two _are_ dating! Did you hear that Esme? Your son has been taking one – and I repeat, _one_ – woman out on multiple dates!"

_Thanks, Charlotte._

Ok, so maybe I told a little white lie. Yes I was busy, but I was fairly certain I could clear my schedule to make time for Bella if she asked me to.

"Edward!" My mom was beaming at me. Our dads, on the other hand, were suppressing their laughter. "Does anybody else know about this?"

I shook my head and played along. "Nope, just the people in this room."

"Did you hear that, Char?" Esme turned to her best friend and gave her a fist bump. "We were the first to know about something!"

"Let's just hope it's the same with the wedding," Charlotte joked. I rolled my eyes and drained the rest of my brandy, getting up and heading to the kitchen for a refill. Jasper followed me.

"For the record, Alice and I are _nowhere_ near 'having it together'." Jasper leaned against the counter next to me and crossed his arms over his chest.

"When you do reach that point, you know I'll be more than happy for you," I said, filling my glass to the rim with the amber colored liquid. "I've just never been the marrying kind."

Jasper shrugged. "Who knows if you are? You haven't exactly given yourself the opportunity to find out."

I ran my finger around the rim of my glass and looked over at my best friend. "That's where you're wrong, my friend. I had the opportunity – then Biers decided to come along and take it for himself."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Having a bad experience with one woman doesn't mean you're destined to have bad experiences with the rest that come along."

"True, but being non-committal is a hell of a lot easier on my heart."

"So instead of allowing yourself to have a bad experience, you just go around and dish the bad experiences out to women across the city?"

Jasper's words took me by surprise. I'd never looked at my behavior in that light before. Not only was I a jackass, but I was also a hypocrite.

Jasper continued. "It's so cliché, but everything in life happens for a reason, Edward. Obviously Jessica was meant to be Mrs. Biers and not Mrs. Cullen."

"Why is my happiness – and my behavior – such a concern to everyone all of a sudden? Nobody had anything to say in the eight years leading up to now."

"Because Bella wasn't around in the eight years leading up to now."

"And your point is what, exactly?" I was damn good at being stubborn. In fact, I'd perfected the art of it long ago.

"My point is that in eight years you haven't met a woman who managed to put a smile on your face like Bella does," Jasper said, pushing himself off the counter. "There's nothing wrong with being apprehensive, Edward. I think we've all been there at one point in time or another. But it's not fair to deny yourself the happiness you deserve."

With that, Jasper turned and joined our parents in the living room. I took another large sip of my brandy and set the glass down on the counter gently. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and pinched the bridge of my nose.

Bella did make me smile. Just thinking about how she made me smile put an actual smile on my face.

Jasper's advice from last week hummed in my ear. " _When the time is right, the words will come."_

Who knew if the time would ever be exactly "right"? I sure as hell didn't. In fact, previous experience had proven to me that some of the best things in life happen when the timing is totally fucking wrong.

Like Columbia, for instance. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and steeled myself against the lingering pain that would always be attached to this memory.

I was so proud of my admission to an Ivy League MBA program. I'd been dreaming of it since the middle of my junior year of undergrad, and to see it evolve from a mere dream into a reality was an amazing experience. It was one of the biggest accomplishments under my belt at the time.

Unfortunately for me, Columbia turned out to be a big fucking accomplishment that clashed with everything else in my life. I opted to spend the summer before graduate school interning at Jpmorgan Chase. My father helped me secure the internship and I knew it would give me experience that would help me not only in my future career, but at Columbia as well.

What I never expected was for the path I chose to take to pave the road that would eventually lead to the arrival of Mrs. Riley goddamn Biers.

In other words, Columbia was one of the best things to happen to me, at the absolute worst possible time.

So, this whole "when the time is right" bullshit wasn't something I bought into.

Even if I did buy into it, the "right time" for Bella and I definitely wasn't _right now_. The pieces that could eventually form our puzzle were there, but the edges didn't fit together quite right just yet.

The _words_ , on the other hand, were dangling from the tip of my tongue, threatening to fall from my lips any day.

And even though I couldn't do anything to make the timing right, I knew I needed to do whatever it took to find the right words to say when the time came.

I also knew that when – not if – they fell from my lips, there would be no turning back.

I was good with numbers. Words … not so much.

I sighed in frustration and fisted my hair in my hands.

This was yet another thing I hated about the holidays; no matter how hard I tried to run from them, the memories this time of year dredged up never seemed to go away.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Forks had barely changed since I left eleven years earlier.

There was a McDonalds in town now, the Thriftway had been remodeled, and a new bed and breakfast had popped up on the outskirts of the small city. Other than that the scenery was the same.

I stretched my legs out in front of me and leaned back against the arm of the loveseat. My dad was on the couch napping and my mom was in the kitchen dishing up our snow pudding. Grandma Swan had made the dessert every year for Christmas. It was my favorite, and when she passed away, Renee took it upon herself to perfect the recipe so the tradition could carry on.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my texts.

_**Merry Christmas, Iz! Mom and Bree send their love – and I send big, squishy hugs and wet, sloppy kisses! xoxo – R.** _

_**MERRY CHRISTMAS! Maybe when you get back you'll find Edward wearing nothing but a bow under your tree! Well ... Edward's best asset will have nothing but a bow on it! ILY! ;) – M.** _

_**Merry Christmas, hun! Give Renee and Charlie a hug for me! xoxo – A.** _

The last one made my heart skip a few extra beats.

_**Merry Christmas, Bella. The city lost a bit of its sparkle when you flew out on Friday. Call me when you land. – E.** _

The text had come through several hours earlier. I checked the time. It was now a little after eleven in New York. I didn't know if Edward had to work tomorrow, or if he was still up, but I took a chance and punched in my reply.

_**Merry Christmas to you too! Hopefully the moms weren't too wild today. ;) – B.** _

It didn't take more than a few minutes for me to get a response.

_**When aren't the moms wild? They were in especially rare form today, but we all made it out unscathed. How is Washington? – E.** _

_**The same as it always is. I'm pretty sure this state exists solely to remind me why I went East. But, it was nice seeing my parents. – B.** _

_**Ha! Well, the Evergreen State can't be all that bad - after all, you came out of it. ;) – E.** _

I giggled to myself and blushed. Perhaps he'd had a few too many beers or something. Whatever it was, his cheesy mood was nice.

"Who's that?" Renee asked, setting our dessert down on the coffee table and nudging my calf with her toe. I pulled my legs back so she could sit, then stretched them out again and rested them on her lap.

"Nobody," I answered, sending one last message to Edward.

_**How much did you have to drink at Christmas dinner? Haha, j/k. I need to scoot – dessert with my mom. I'll call you when I land. – B.** _

Renee snatched the phone from my hands and scrolled through our short chat. I was fairly certain my cheeks reddened tenfold. She grinned knowingly and tossed the phone in my lap.

"When was the last time a man made you smile like that, Bell?" Renee asked. I reached over and grabbed the two bowls from the coffee table, handing one to my mom and balancing the other on the back of the couch. I placed a spoonful of the snow pudding in my mouth and closed my eyes, savoring the taste while I thought about how to answer her question.

"Smile like what?"

Renee tapped the tip of my nose with her spoon. "You've got a grin on your face that's reminiscent of the ones you used to wear on the last day of school when you were little."

"I don't know, Ben probably?" I'd gone out with guys after Ben left Manhattan, but he was the last real relationship I'd been in. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because, Isabella, you're not getting any younger." Renee certainly had a way with words. "I'm not trying to pressure you, because lord only knows I sometimes wish I'd of waited to settle down too, but you'll be thirty next year sweetheart."

"Yes, mom, I'll be thirty. That's old news."

"You know what I mean. I worry about you, Bell; living all alone in a big city like New York. I just wish you had someone to make you grin like a foolish kid every day."

"I do, mom – his name is Mike Newton." I winked and polished off the rest of my dessert. Charlie was starting to stir on the couch and the last thing I wanted was to end Christmas by getting into a relationship conversation with him.

My mom must have caught the hint, because she stood up and grabbed my empty bowl. "Don't think you're out of hot seat! We've still got three whole days to continue this conversation."

"Oh joy," I muttered.

"What conversation?" my dad asked.

"Just girl talk, Charlie," Renee shouted from the kitchen. My dad yawned and rolled his eyes.

"Well in that case, please spare me."

I chuckled and stood up. "I think I'm going to call it a night. It's not very often that I get to read for pleasure, and it just so happens I brought a book with me."

"Have fun _reading_ ," Renee called after me. I resisted the urge to flip the bird over my shoulder, and instead ascended the staircase that led to the upper level of the house. My parents hadn't changed my room since I moved. There were still posters of NSYNC on the walls and Sweet Valley High books lining the dusty shelves of my bookcase. In a way it was comforting and nostalgic. Mostly it just made me want to puke.

I slipped into my pajamas and pulled my hair back before crawling into bed. I went to plug my phone in and found one last text message from Edward.

_**Sweet dreams, oh sparkly one. – E.** _

I smiled and picked up my copy of _East of Eden_ from the night table. I managed to read two new chapters before giving in to temptation and closing my eyes.

Edward visited me in my dreams that night, like he sometimes did.

As usual, he was naked.

This time, I was a prostitute.

And Edward was a farmer with a very thick, very sexy Irish accent.


	16. The Countdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> The past month has been nothing but a whirlwind of travels, weddings, birthdays, and general chaos. Fortunately things have started to calm down. For this I feel fortunate.
> 
> Chloe Masen - you rock my world every day. Thanks for being you, cause you = amazing.
> 
> Reviews make swoon as much as Rob and his newfound toothpick. Share your thoughts, I love to hear them! :)
> 
> Chapter Song: If We Kissed by Fiona Apple
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Alice's POV**

I tapped my Uggz clad foot impatiently on the sidewalk and took another drag off of my cigarette. Rose was late for lunch, as usual, and Mike was too hung-over from the Newton family Christmas to bother getting out of bed.

"Hey!" I turned to see my newly brunette friend weaving her way up the sidewalk. "I'm so sorry I'm late! Bree decided this morning was the perfect time to have a mini-meltdown over the wedding."

I rolled my eyes and butted my cigarette. "Whatever. Let's get inside before they give away our table."

Back in college, Rose, Bella, and I had started our tradition of exchanging Christmas gifts over a meal. This year it was my turn to pick where we went, and I'd made reservations at the Four Seasons Restaurant almost four months ago. Bella didn't announce her trip to Forks until after I had set lunch up, and even though I offered (grudgingly) to reschedule, she insisted Rose and I go and have a good time.

Once we were seated in the gorgeous poolside setting, I relaxed a little. "Decided to go back to brown I see?"

"Yeah. I figured I'd go au natural for the New Year."

"You mean salon-induced au natural?"

Rose flipped me off and stuck her tongue out. "There's brown roots in here somewhere."

"So, what was Bree's issue?"

Rose lowered the menu in her hands and rolled her eyes. "The flowers mom found aren't the exact shade of purple she wanted. Honestly, I thought my dad was going to have to separate the two of them."

"So the Smith temper is genetic after all?" I teased.

"It would seem that way."

After the waitress brought our drinks and took our orders, Rose handed me a small gift bag. I pulled the tissue paper out and reached inside, producing two paperweights. One was shaped like the Eifel Tower and the other was shaped like an airplane.

"Don't look so excited," Rose teased. I glanced at the items in my hand and back up at her in confusion.

"I don't get it."

Rose's eyes lit up with excitement. "I may have arranged us a trip to Paris in May."

"You're kidding, right?" My words came out in a high-pitched squeal.

"Not at all!" Rose propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin against the tops of her hands. "I booked everything last week. We'll be there for ten nights."

"Who is 'we'?"

"All of us, silly. You, me, Bella, the guys - and of course I couldn't leave Mike and Laurent out!"

My eyes widened and my own excitement level kicked up a notch. "Does anyone else know yet? I mean, did you check with the guys? Or Mike?"

Rose shook her head and grinned. "Nope. Well, I told Emmett, but that's it. It's meant to be a holiday surprise for everyone! I figured you and Bella could tell your guys respectively, and I'll tell Mike when we see him later this week."

"Bella doesn't have a guy. She has a crush."

"Well, she has five months to rectify that situation. And so help me God, if Edward fucks anything up in the meantime, I'll be throwing his whorish ass off the top of the mother fucking Eiffel Tower!" Rose slapped her hand against the table, causing our silverware to clank and several of the other groups of patrons to shoot us dirty looks.

"Do you think you could keep your voice down? I'd like to be allowed to eat here again."

"Oh, hush!" Rose waved her hand dismissively. "You and I both know worse things have been said here than the word 'fuck'. Have you ever eaten here when Victoria White was present?"

I couldn't help but crack a smile. Money could buy Victoria White a lot of things; class wasn't one of them. I had to give her credit for trying though. "Vicky is an exception to every rule in the book."

The waitress dropped our salads off and we dug in.

"So, where's my gift?" A chunk of asparagus flew out of Rose's mouth. I scrunched my nose up in disgust when she speared the stray veggie with her fork and popped it back in her mouth.

"Right here," I said, reaching in my purse and producing a small, gift-wrapped box. Rose lifted the box to her ear and shook it gently.

"Whatever it is, it's well padded because it isn't making any noise." She unwrapped the box and pulled the lid off. A white gold bracelet sat on top of a velvet cushion. Three charms surrounded the chain – one engraved with the letter 'R,' one that looked like a small handbag, and an open-heart charm.

"I thought we could start a new tradition." I held up my wrist to show off my own charm bracelet. "I got one for Bella too. Each year we can exchange a charm; something significant to that year or to our friendships."

Rose looked up at me and her eyes were brimmed with tears. "This is beautiful, Ali. And that's such a lovely idea."

"Rosalie Smith, are you choked up?" I winked and squeezed her hand.

"Bitch," she laughed. She put the charms on the chain and I helped her fasten it around her small wrist.

"I'm fairly certain they make an Eiffel Tower charm. We might have to invest in them after our vacay!"

Rose leaned across the table and gave me an awkward, one-armed hug. "Thank you, sweetie."

"You're welcome, hun."

We spent the rest of lunch discussing what we'd done for Christmas and how we wanted to spend our New Years Eve.

"Alright, it's time for New Years resolutions – go!" I pointed at Rose and sipped on my drink.

She thought for a moment. "Shop less. Exercise more. Get engaged."

"Engaged?" I almost choked on my iced tea. "You guys have been together for what, three months?"

"I didn't say I wanted it to happen tomorrow." Rose spun her spoon around between her fingers absentmindedly. "Later in the year would be preferable."

"Wow. I guess I didn't realize you'd reached that point yet."

" _He_ doesn't know either. In fact, I didn't realize it myself until just a few days ago." Rose had a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I'm so happy for you, honey." I reached across the table and squeezed her arm once more. "Promise me I'm in the wedding?"

Rose laughed. "Promise. Your turn – 2012 resolutions a la Alice, take one!"

"Quit smoking. Drink less Starbucks. Get Bella hooked up."

"Let's hope she doesn't end up needing any help in that department." Rose picked up her glass and held it in the air. "To 2012 – a year filled with happiness, love, and memories."

"Cheers!" I clinked my glass against hers and took a sip of my iced tea.

I was excited. I was scared. I was giddy.

But most of all I was apprehensive.

Deep down inside, I knew that the upcoming year was going to change everything.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Alice always managed to score an invite to the most awesome New Years Eve parties in town. Being a firm believer in the idea of sharing, she also always made sure to get Rose and I added to the guest list.

Today was no different. Felix and Nettie Powell owned a small but successful fashion magazine. The Erickson family was very close to them, and our firm had been representing them since the magazine got its start. This year, the couple was hosting their first end-of-year bash at their posh Upper East Side penthouse. The guest list was fairly small, and consisted mainly of people from the fashion industry.

The theme for the party was "The Roaring Twenties," and we were all dressed the part. Alice, Rose, and I wore matching black flapper dress costumes, complete with headbands and vintage cigarette holders. Jasper and Emmett had on solid black Oxford pants with clean, pressed white dress shirts and fitted tuxedo jackets. Edward opted to go the 20s gangster route, and wore a black pinstripe suit with a black vest and a fedora on his head.

We were quite the group to look at as we made our way to our table at dinner.

"It's a shame it's not 1920 anymore, because you look absolutely ravishing!" Mike kissed my cheek and stepped away so he could look me over. "Where have you been hiding those legs all these years?"

"They've always been here, Newton. You're just too busy chasing the cock to take notice." I winked at my friend and took my seat next to him.

"Don't let him fool you." Laurent leaned forward and looked over at me. His smile was so big it nearly reached his eyes. "He still looks at the ladies every chance he gets. Last week he was critiquing tits when we were at Saks."

"I couldn't help it!" Mike cringed. "When it comes to boob jobs, there's the good, the bad, and the ugly. And let me tell you, for being able to afford to shop at Saks, some of these women had absolutely awful silicone racks."

"Maybe you should start your own blog," Jasper suggested. "You could call it 'Nice Tits or Not-So-Nice Tits? Mike Answers the Question.'"

"I don't think he needs any encouragement," Alice chided, pinching Jasper's side playfully. He shrugged and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, we're trying to tame the beast, not dump gasoline on the fire." Laurent rolled his eyes and turned to Edward. "Why don't you start the boob blog? You certainly have the experience!"

I covered my mouth to stifle a giggle while the rest of the table burst out laughing.

Edward smirked. "Perhaps that will be the topic of my next book."

"You should probably start looking for a new publicist then," I teased.

"Why's that? You've got some pretty rocking boobs." Rose reached over Edward and attempted to give me a titty twister. I swatted her hand away and crossed my arms over my chest protectively.

"The only boobs I promote are my own, thank you very much!"

The friendly, funny banter only intensified as dinner went on and alcohol was consumed.

"You realize this is the first time we've all had someone to kiss at the stroke of midnight?" Mike said to me as were piling into the back of an Escalade limo.

"Who says I'll be kissing anyone at midnight?"

"Come the fuck on, Bella. I've seen the way you and Edward have been eye fucking each other all night. I'm surprised you both still have your clothes on!"

I giggled and looked over my shoulder at Edward. I couldn't deny the effect he had on me – _all_ of me. From the moment he took his hat off at dinner, revealing his sexy, slicked back hair, I was a goner. I knew he wasn't immune to this attraction either, as I'd caught him checking out my legs – and my ass – on more than one occasion.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Mike jabbed me in the ribs and leaned in so only I could hear him. "That mile-high wall of yours – you know, the one around your heart that's supposed to be 'impenetrable?' Well, it's been crumbling brick-by-brick for the past two months, and I do believe Edward Cullen is to blame. So, it's time to let the final pieces fall and get with that man already!"

"But-" Mike reached out and covered my mouth with one hand and used the other to shake his finger at me.

"No buts! Tomorrow is a new year and that means it's time to make a new start – with _him_." Mike nodded at Edward over the top of my head. I stuck my tongue out and blew a raspberry kiss on his palm. He pulled his hand back and scrunched his face up in disgust.

"Yes, mom," I drawled out sarcastically. Mike stuck his own tongue out at me before focusing his attention on Laurent.

I looked over at Edward, who was now seated next to me. He smiled and slid his arm around my waist, pulling me against him and kissing my temple. He smelled like scotch, cinnamon, and winter air. It was a deliciously dangerous combination that could only belong to him.

_Another brick bites the dust._

I imagined what this same scene would look like a year from now if things didn't go anywhere between Edward and I. His arm would likely be snaked around some other woman's waist. Or, worse yet, his lips would be glued to hers.

A small fire ignited somewhere deep inside of me, and I recognized the feeling of jealousy as it fanned its way through my system. I never got jealous, let alone over some image I'd concocted in my mind.

Maybe Mike was on to something.

When I looked up at him again, there was a deep and intense mixture of emotions burning in Edward's eyes. My knees felt weak and my heart started thumping wildly in my chest. I was almost positive the emotion nested in my own eyes rivaled his, but I couldn't even drag mine away for the ten seconds it would take to check.

"Hi," he whispered, leaning down and pressing his lips against my forehead in a chaste kiss.

"Hi," I whispered back.

He pulled me a bit closer to him and brushed my hair behind my ear. Seconds later I felt his hot breath on my neck. "Happy New Year, Bella."

I leaned back and looked at him in confusion. "It's not midnight yet, dork!"

His smirk – and his eyes – was filled with mischief. "I know, but I plan on having both our mouths occupied at midnight."

I licked my lips and laughed nervously. "What exactly will my mouth be occupied with?"

"I haven't quite decided yet." He traced the outline of my collarbone and nipped my earlobe gently. "But I promise you, Ms. Swan, I won't disappoint."

Tingles transformed into sparks, which quickly ignited into full-blown flames.

I wanted Edward Cullen to be mine.

 _Only_ mine.

Just like that the last brick in my carefully constructed wall slipped away.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

At a quarter to midnight I decided I needed to talk to Bella about "us."

I had two problems on my hands, however: I couldn't find Bella and I wasn't even sure there was an us to begin with.

After spending the tail end of her Christmas trip exchanging flirtatious text messages, I figured now was as good of a time as ever to discuss the possibility of being … exclusive? Monogamous? In a relationship?

It was a good thing I had a few drinks in me, because I had no idea how to even approach this topic. I felt like I was in high school all over again, making a play for the girl who was so hot most of the guys couldn't even speak to her.

"Edward!"

No. Fucking. Way.

Riley Biers sauntered up to me with the shit-eating grin he saved for me plastered to his face. His bloodshot eyes danced wickedly as he took in my outfit for the evening.

"Riley. Always a pleasure." I didn't bother feigning politeness. This bridge was burnt long before he and I ever actually met.

"I didn't expect to see you at this type of party!" He drained the last few drops of his drink and swirled the ice cubes around in the glass. "I pegged you as more of the dance club type. You know, the ones where the women are as cheap as the drinks."

I laughed bitterly. "I expect more than that from you, Biers. Christ, the last time we crossed paths you at least had some good expletives thrown in there."

"The last time we crossed paths you were still trying to convince my wife that there was a shred of decency in you."

Three months ago, this would have sent me over the edge. Now it was more of an annoyance than anything.

" _You_ managed to pull the wool over her eyes. Can you blame me for trying? Where is your wife tonight anyway?"

"At home. The whole party scene isn't her thing these days." He shook his head and chuckled. "You always were a sore loser. How many girls do you have in your rotation these days? Five? Six?"

"One."

"Oh, that's rich. Really, Cullen, you don't have to try and impress me."

"You're the last person I feel the need to impress. In fact, I would much rather go out of my way _not_ to impress you." I looked past Riley and noticed Alice and Rose watching us. I said a silent prayer that one of them would pick up on the tension and alert Jasper or Emmett.

I was a lot of things. Too prim and proper not to start a fight at an Upper East Side party was not one of them.

"So if you really narrowed it down to just one woman, then where is she? Surely she wouldn't miss the chance to be seen in public with such a well-known playboy as yourself!"

_Great. How the fuck am I going to weasel my way out of this one?_

"She's right here." Bella sidled up next to me and grabbed my hand in hers.

Riley looked back and forth between Bella and I before his gaze finally settled on our joined hands. He took a step back and narrowed his eyes. "She's your fucking publicist. Give me a break."

"She's my fucking _girlfriend_ ," I hissed. Bella stiffened next to me and I immediately regretted the words. I didn't want to be presumptuous, nor did I want her to think I was just using her to save face.

Bella returned Riley's glare with one of her own. "Who are you, exactly?"

"Riley Biers." He stuck his hand out, but Bella didn't move an inch. "Perhaps I'm better known as the thorn in Edward's side."

"That's funny." Bella smiled sweetly and squeezed my hand. "The last time I checked, there were no thorns in his side."

"Oh, and I imagine you've done your fair share of … _checking_."

WHACK! Bella's palm collided with Riley's smirk-clad face.

_She's certainly good at that._

"I believe that's your cue to get home and give your wife a midnight kiss." I said, wrapping my arm around Bella's shoulders and pulling her tight against me.

"That sounds like a fabulous idea." Bella smiled sweetly once again and winked at me. "I believe I have my own kiss to tend to."

"You two fucking deserve one another," Riley muttered angrily. He turned and stomped his way through the party and out the door.

"Two minutes to the countdown!" someone shouted.

I turned to face Bella and rested my forearms on her shoulders. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she whispered, reaching up to adjust the front of my Fedora.

"I'm sorry if the whole 'girlfriend' thing freaked you out."

Her eyes scanned my face, searching for something I didn't quite know how to deliver. "It didn't freak me out."

"No?"

She shook her head. "Actually, I liked it."

My jaw started to drop but I caught myself.

"Don't act so surprised, Cullen. I know I'm not the only one who's felt the … sparks, for lack of a better term."

I chuckled. "No, no you're not. I guess I just didn't expect this," I gestured to the small space between us, "to happen so soon, if ever at all."

Bella stared at me for a moment and then broke out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"The ball's about to drop you guys!" Alice handed us each a noisemaker.

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT…" voices throughout the room began shouting out the count down.

She laced her fingers together behind my neck and pulled my head toward her until our foreheads were touching. "Is this your weird way of asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"SEVEN! SIX!"

"What would say if I told you it was?" I snaked my arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against mine. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

"FIVE!"

"First I'd make fun of you," she teased, rubbing her nose against mine and grinning. "Then I'd tell you that I'd love to be your girlfriend."

"FOUR! THREE!"

Her words were like a match; they lit every part of me with a feeling that I hadn't allowed myself to feel for years.

"I guess that means I get to cash in on that midnight kiss."

"TWO!"

She cocked her head to the side until her lips were hovering right above mine. "I guess it does."

"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The moment our lips met, everything around us seemed to stop. People tossed balloons and confetti in the air, Auld Lang Syne blared through the stereo, and noisemakers went off left and right, but I didn't even register any of it. The only thing I felt was Bella's soft, warm skin beneath my lips and fingers. The only thing I heard was the low moan she let out when I slid my tongue against hers in a slow and exquisite dance. The only thing I tasted was her. This kiss was all-consuming, swallowing up every one of my senses and rendering me helpless.

"Happy New Year," Bella whispered breathlessly when we finally came up for air.

"Happy New Year." I cupped her face with my hands and peppered kisses across her cheeks and nose. "Here's to an amazing 2012."

She blushed. "It's certainly off to an amazing start."

"Yes it is." I pulled her against me and buried my face in her hair.

I had a feeling 2012 was going to go down in history as the year that Bella Swan completely and utterly came to own me.

**-=- HC -=-**

It wasn't long after midnight when Bella and I left the party.

As soon as we were inside my apartment, Bella slipped her shoes and coat off and dropped her purse on the floor. She stretched her arms over her head and walked across the room, pushing the curtains back and leaning against the window. The lights of the city created the perfect backdrop for her small silhouette. I reached up and undid the first few buttons on my shirt, then kicked off my own shoes. I took a deep breath and sauntered across the room, stopping when I was just inches behind her.

I reached my hand out and pushed her hair away before brushing my lips softly against her neck. Bella sighed and placed her hands on the window, tilting her head to the side. I ran my tongue along the shell of her ear and nibbled her earlobe gently. Her skin peppered with small goose bumps and she let out a barely audible moan.

"May I?" I whispered, tugging lightly on the zipper of her dress. She nodded silently and I pulled it down. Her creamy white skin almost looked sparkly in the moonlight, and I chuckled to myself as I remembered the cheesy text message I'd sent her when she was in Washington.

"What's so funny?" she asked, glancing at me over her bare shoulder. I slid my hands inside her dress so they were resting gently over her ribs and cleared my throat.

"I called you a sparkly one last weekend," I murmured, burying my face in her hair and moving my hands up until the edges of my fingers grazed the bottom of her breasts. She let out an awkward half-giggle half-groan and leaned into me. I smiled against her head and move my hands up further, rolling her nipples between my fingers and tugging on them gently.

"As long as you keep that up, you can call me whatever you want," she whispered. I pulled my hands away and used them to push her dress down, leaving her standing in nothing but a pair of lacy red panties.

"You're so beautiful," I breathed, running my fingertips along the curves of her back and over her ass. She turned to face me and smiled, reaching up and popping the next few buttons on my shirt. I dropped my hands to my side and tipped my head back as she pushed my shirt over my shoulders. I shook my arms until the fabric dropped to the floor by my feet.

Bella ran her tongue along my jaw and tugged at the bottom of my t-shirt. "Lift," she instructed, pushing up on my arms. I was more than happy to oblige, but by the time she got the thin garment up and over my head, I couldn't keep my hands off of her.

I dipped my head and circled her nipple with the tip of my tongue. She slid her fingers through my hair and tugged at it roughly. I closed my lips around her delicate pink skin and sucked hard, eliciting a gasp of pleasure.

I used my free hand to cup her sex, running my finger along the sensitive strip of skin where her leg joined her body. She shivered beneath me and giggled.

"That tickles," she said. I grinned against her skin. "Please stop teasing me."

" _This_ teases you?" I dragged my finger oh-so-slowly across her skin once more, delighting in the way she squirmed beneath my touch. Her breaths were coming fast and hard, even though I hadn't yet touched her where she wanted.

"Edward." She tightened her grip on my hair, inflicting a nice mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Shhh." I engulfed her mouth with a kiss. My hands slid down beneath her knees and I picked her up.

Bella shook her head and pulled away from me. "Not the bed. Here."

I looked over her shoulder and out the window. Surprisingly enough, in all the years I'd been bringing women back to this apartment I had yet to take one of them against the floor-to-ceiling glass.

Then again, I wasn't 'taking' anything from Bella. I was giving myself to her. My _whole_ self this time.

"Here?" I asked, pushing her up against the window and hooking my fingers in the sides of her panties.

"Yes," she breathed, nipping at my neck and pulling her hips back so I could remove the lacy barrier. Mid-thigh I lost my patience and fisted her panties, tugging roughly and tearing them off of her.

Bella braced herself against the window and reached down to undo my belt. She pushed my pants and boxer briefs down just far enough for my erection to spring free before wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me to her for another hot kiss.

I kept one arm secured around her waist and the other hand pressed flat against the window. I lifted her up and aligned our bodies. I could feel how ready she was as I thrust up into her.

"Uhhhh." She pulled her mouth away and let out a throaty moan. Her fingers dug into my shoulder blades and I tightened my grip on her waist. I moved faster with each long, hard stroke, bringing us both closer to the edge.

"So close, so close, so close," she mumbled incoherently, dropping her forehead to my shoulder and letting her arms fall to her sides. I moved my hand between us and rubbed my thumb against her sensitive, swollen bundle of nerves. Her hands were on me again, gripping my forearms tightly as she found her release.

A thin layer of sweat coated each of us, and her body started to slide against the glass with each of my powerful thrusts. I knew I couldn't hold out much longer, but I wanted to savor every minute of this. This meant something more to me than the last few times we'd been together. We weren't just bed buddies anymore. We were in over our heads now, submerged in territory that I guessed was new for both of us.

"Bella," I moaned, biting down gently on her shoulder. My movements became erratic and finally my hips stilled as I found my own release deep inside her.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed in this position before I finally carried her to the bedroom and slowly lifted her off of me. Bella sunk down on my bed and flung her arms over her head, smiling blissfully at me.

"I'll be right back," I said, heading for the bathroom. I returned a few minutes later and found her snuggled up beneath my sheets.

I pulled the covers back and climbed in next to her. She scooted toward me until her back was flush with my chest. I slid my arm over her waist and loosely entwined our fingers.

"Happy New Year," I whispered, nuzzling the back of her neck and kissing the soft flesh I had bitten earlier. She yawned and gave me a lazy smile over her shoulder.

"Happy New Year, Edward."

2012 would definitely be an incredible year.


	17. Chicago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves!
> 
> Thanks for being so patient with my updates! Life will be much easier this fall when I don't have class anymore (knock on wood).
> 
> I'm trying to make sure I respond to reviews at least every other chapter. I do read them all, and I'm so thankful for each and every one of them, good, bad, or ugly. I'm also thankful that you're all still here reading this. It means a lot to me, and I just want you to know that. :)
> 
> My beta is out-of-commission at the moment, and I'm a wee bit picky about these things, so from here on out I'll be doing my own beta work (until otherwise mentioned).
> 
> More at the end in regards to how these book tour chapters are going to work.
> 
> Reading your reviews is like being locked away in a limo for a day with Eric Packer. I love to hear your thoughts, so please share them! :)
> 
> Chapter Song: This'll Be My Year by Train
> 
> \- N
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**BPOV**

Mike and Alice showed up at my door on the eve of the book tour. Mike had a Louis Vuitton suitcase tucked under his arm and Alice was carrying a throng of shopping bags, some decorated with the familiar La Perla logo and others with no logo at all.

"What is all this?" I asked, stepping aside to let my two friends in.

"This is what I like to refer to as 'Mike and Alice's guarantee that Bella will engage in kinky fuckery while on the book tour'." Alice set the bags down and pulled off her coat.

"Do I even want to ask for more details?"

"You don't have to!" Mike strolled into the living room and placed the suitcase on the couch, unzipping it and pulling out a few smaller brown colored paper bags. "We're going to help you pack this thing up!"

"Please tell me that's not a brand new Louis," I groaned.

Alice laughed. "Brand new? No. Gently used by the one and only Rosalie Smith? Yes. She felt bad about not being here to send you off, so this would be her contribution to your vacay kit." Rosalie had embarked on a business trip to LA earlier that week.

"And what exactly is in this 'vacay kit'?"

Mike grinned and rubbed his hands together with excitement. "A little bit of everything!" He grabbed the La Perla bags and emptied the contents out on the sofa. "Some naughty lingerie to get things started."

Alice picked up the two logo-less bags and dumped them on an armchair. "Some naughty toys to go with the naughty lingerie. You know, two vibrators, silk ties, nipple clamps, a tickle and whip, and a blindfold. Oh – and a cock ring!"

"And the small bags? What's in those?"

"Oh, that's the icing on your proverbial sex cake." Mike started pulling items out and lining them up on the coffee table. "Nipple cream, flavored lube, numbing gel in case you decide to put anything in the back door, some Japanese drip candles, aromatherapy candles to set the mood, and some massage oils."

I picked up one of the almost non-existent bras from Mike's pile and looked over at him with one eyebrow raised. "What made you think I would need any of this while on a book tour exactly?"

"Don't give us that look, Swan. You're far from innocent." Mike began folding the lingerie and placing it neatly in the open suitcase. "I know you're _with_ Edward now – which I had to find out from Rosalie, by the way! That means it's time to start giving your body the sexual awakening it's so desperately in need of. You couldn't have bagged a better teacher!"

"I am _not_ bringing a suitcase full of sex toys and lingerie with me! I'll probably end up on a TSA list somewhere by the time we're done traveling!"

"Relax," Alice sat down next to me and patted my head. "At least if you check the bag you won't be there when they go through it. Unlike the time when you forgot you had your bullet in your carry-on. I'm not sure who suffered more through that experience - you or the geek who had to search your stuff."

I cringed as I remembered the look on the guy's face when he discovered the source of the security screening chaos. The only thing I could do was shrug like an idiot and hope he chalked the incident up to college kids drinking too much over spring break and doing stupid shit on the return flight home.

"Honestly, I'm not bringing all that stuff with. Edward and I _just_ started dating. The last thing I need to do is show up in Chicago with a suitcase full of leather and lace."

"For the record, there's no lace or leather going in this suitcase." Mike was now busy tucking various items away between the stacks of satiny fabric. "And you _will_ bring this on the trip with you, Swan. If I have to accompany the two of you to JFK and check the god damn bag myself I'll do it."

"Why does my sex life concern you so much? You have a rather active one of your own to tend to."

Mike smirked. "That last part may be true, but that's beside the point. Someone has to look out for your nether regions! You've obviously dusted out the cobwebs; now it's time to get you up to speed with the rest of the sexually active world."

I knew that I wouldn't win this battle. But I also knew that Mike and Alice would never know if I happened to "forget" the suitcase at home the next morning. Neither of them was getting up to accompany me to JFK at the ass crack of dawn. So, I decided to give up and pretend that they had won. "You know, you're right. There's nothing wrong with a little fun in the bedroom."

"See, I told you she'd see the light!" Alice gave me a one-armed hug and rested her head against my shoulder. "I'm going to miss you for the next month and a half. Who will be there to stop Rose from having one of her catastrophic meltdowns?"

I chuckled. "In about two weeks Emmett will be out of his ninety day grace period. That means the meltdown prevention duties are officially passed on to him."

"Does he know this?" Mike asked.

"Nope," I answered, shaking my head. "Although I'm sure he'll be subjected to that side of the coin soon enough."

"He needs to get broken in some day." Alice stood and headed for my kitchen. "Do you have any wine around here? We need to have one last cocktail before you take off."

"Unfortunately no," I said. Alice peeked her head around the kitchen door and pouted. "I know, I know, I'm a terrible hostess."

"A terrible hostess who just so happens to live within walking distance of some good bars." Mike zipped the suitcase shut and collected the empty bags. "The night is still young. I do believe you have time for a few cocktails before heading off to bed."

"What a brilliant idea!" Alice skipped back to the living room and swatted Mike's butt playfully. "What do you say Bell?"

I glanced up at the clock. It _was_ only eight thirty. Edward wouldn't be at my place until seven the next morning, and all my bags were already packed. "As long as I'm home by eleven I'm game."

"I think we can manage that." Mike put the Louis down next to the rest of my luggage and grabbed my coat out of the hall closet. I shrugged into it and followed the two of them out the door.

As it turned out, the devious duo couldn't manage to get me home by eleven. Instead, they poured me into the back of a taxi at one thirty.

"Don't you dare forget to bring Louis with you in the morning!" Mike bellowed as he engulfed me in a giant hug. "If I go to water your plants and find that in your apartment I'll be on the first plane to Chicago!"

I started to do a squirmy booty dance in Mike's arms. "Whips, chains, handcufffffffffffs," I belted out what I could remember from an old Ludacris song.

"That's my girl!" Mike planted a big, wet kiss on my forehead before passing me off to Alice, who was waiting with open arms.

"Isaaaaaabellllllllla Swwwwwwwwan," Alice sang. I tipped my head back and laughed.

"I'm going to miss you," I cooed in her ear. Alice smiled and hugged me so tight I found myself struggling to breathe. She had strength for being such a tiny thing.

"Promise to call me at least once a week."

I laughed harder. "More like once a day! I'm going to need my long-distance Edward Cullen support network!"

"Oh, pfffffffft," Alice smashed her lips together and blew out an appalled and exasperated noise. "You have that man wrapped around your pretty little pinky finger. By the time you get back to New York you'll probably be picking out baby names."

Mike steepled his hands and slid them between us. "I hate to have to part the delusional Erickson waters, but there will be no baby talk around here! Smelly diapers are not at all sexy. Besides, Swan needs to get her toasted ass home and in bed or she won't be going anywhere with Edward in the morning."

"And who do you think I have to blame for that exactly?"

Mike shrugged and looked around innocently. "Certainly not me!"

I rolled my eyes and gave each of them another hug. "Alright, alright, I'm going home. I love you both! Don't get in too much trouble while I'm gone." I climbed inside the back of the cab.

Alice ran up and planted another kiss on my cheek before I could get the door closed. "Use a condom!" she shouted inches from my face. Mike's eyes grew wide and he stepped forward, covering Alice's mouth with one hand and using his free hand to grab her waist and pull her back on the sidewalk. I burst out laughing and slammed the door, waving goodbye to my friends while the cab took me off into the night.

According to my cell phone it was now almost two in the morning. I dialed Rosalie's number and tucked the phone between my cheek and shoulder.

"Don't you have a flight to catch in a few hours?"

"Hello to you too," I answered. "And my flight doesn't leave for seven hours, thank you very much!"

"I take it Mike and Alice got their hands on you?" I could hear the smile in Rose's voice.

"First they got their hands on me, then they filled me with drinks."

"Why do the fun nights always happen when I'm out of town?"

I scoffed. "You've been present at _many_ fun nights over the last few months, missy. Besides, you're out of town with Emmett. Don't even try and tell me there haven't been fun nights in California!"

Rose giggled and lowered her voice. "Are you fishing for details? Because I'm more than happy to share!"

I scrunched my face up and shook my head, even though I knew Rose was across the country and couldn't see me. "Keep the details to yourself, please."

"Prude," Rose teased. "It's too late for guessing games so I'm just going to ask – to what do I owe this late night call?"

"I just wanted to say goodbye once more, even though we're on separate coasts at the moment." Alcohol had a way of making me sentimental, and I felt my eyes tearing up. My two best friends were both amazing, but I'd always been a bit closer to Rose. We'd spent many a college night bonding over our crazy mothers who constantly pushed us to be people we weren't.

"Aww, Bell, I'm going to miss you! I know it's only for six weeks, but it still sucks that I won't get to see you."

"I'm going to miss you too," I said with a sigh. "No pouting is allowed on my part, however. I feel fortunate to get to experience this alongside Edward."

Rose was silent for a brief moment. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, knowing full well what was coming.

"I'm happy for you Bell, I truly am, so please don't take this wrong," she began. "I know everything is all golden right now, but promise me you'll be careful. I don't want you coming back from this book tour with your heart in twenty pieces."

"My heart could never be in twenty pieces, Rose, because I have you, and Alice, and Mike to keep it glued together."

_A ha! That's got her speechless!_

"You three are all I'll ever need," I added. My words were met with a soft sniffle.

"Making me cry before bed is not fair, Bell. Not fair at all." I could hear Emmett whispering in the background, and I knew it was time to let my best friend get off the phone. We all had our own worlds to exist in now – our own relationships to exist in – and even though they blended together quite nicely most of the time, the occasional space was something I new the men in our lives valued.

"Send some of that LA sunshine toward Chicago for me."

Rose laughed. Whether it was intended for Emmett or me I didn't know. "Only if you keep the snow west of Pennsylvania."

"I love you, Rose. "

"I love you too, Bell."

I let my phone fall back into my purse and pushed my forehead against the fogged up window.

I was certainly going to miss New York.

The cab came to a stop and I paid the driver. The first signs of what was sure to be a wicked vodka-induced headache started as soon as I got in my apartment.

I tossed my purse in the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, guzzling down all of the cold liquid in one long gulp.

I flipped off the kitchen light and headed for my room. Against my better judgment, I flung myself face first onto my bed and closed my eyes.

Exhausted and intoxicated, I passed out without bothering to set my alarm clock.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_BANG, BANG, BANG!_

I thumped my fist against Bella's door once again, louder and harder this time. I was starting to get worried. I'd tried calling her four different times on the drive over, but her phone kept going straight to voicemail. I preferred to think she wouldn't abandon me at the last minute like this, eleven days into our relationship and hours before the book tour officially started. The longer I knocked, the less optimistic I was.

"I'm coming!" a scratchy voice finally called from the other side of the door. A minute later she stood before me, hair in a mess and last night's clothes rumpled against her slender frame. My eyes widened.

"Did you just wake up?"

Bella nodded, rubbing her fingers over her forehead and stepping aside so I could enter. "Mike and Alice took me out last night. I told them I needed to be home by eleven, but the evening ran a bit later than that."

I toed off my shoes and crossed my arms over my chest. "You do realize we have a flight to catch in two hours? You can't go to the airport looking like that."

"I know, I know." She wiped away the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. I took a step toward her and cupped her face in my hands, running my thumbs along her cheeks and sighing.

"I'll make you some coffee and get Sam up here to handle your luggage. You get yourself ready as quick as you can, okay?"

She nodded and turned her head, kissing my open palm gently. As soon as I heard the shower running I grabbed a pod of her favorite coffee and flipped on the Keurig. I gathered up her keys and wallet and tucked them into her purse, which lay open on the kitchen table. Under ordinary circumstances, a situation of this nature would make me livid. I just couldn't bring myself to get mad at Bella. Had Jasper not had an early editorial meeting to go today, I probably would have spent last night out with him somewhere in the city as well.

Twenty minutes later, Bella's coffee was waiting in a travel mug and her luggage was tucked neatly in the back of the Lincoln. The bedroom door opened and she emerged, dressed in a pair of sweat pants and wearing no makeup.

"As much as I'd love to look good right now, I just want to be comfortable."

I smiled and helped her into her coat. I carried her coffee, she carried her purse, and once she was sure all the lights were off and the door was securely locked, we made our way downstairs.

"You look good no matter what you wear," I told her when we were seated. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the coffee cup from me, taking a long swig and wincing when the hot liquid hit her throat.

"I really am sorry." In the rearview mirror I could see the corners of Sam's eyes crinkle with a smile. "First leg of the book tour and your brilliant publicist can barely drag her still-drunk-from-last-night ass out of bed. Thank god you're more than just a client, otherwise I'd probably be unemployed right now."

"You own your own business, Einstein. How would you become unemployed?" I reached over and playfully tugged at the end of her ponytail.

"I'm sure Alice would want to trade me in for a new partner."

I laughed as we came to a stop in front of Terminal 3 at JFK. "I can't see that ever happening."

The security lines were on the light side, which I was happy to see. I hauled my three bags up to the counter to check them, and then turned to help Bella with hers.

"Do you want to check this? It's not very heavy?" I asked, holding up her small Louis Vuitton suitcase.

"Where did you get that?" she shrieked.

"It was in the pile of luggage Sam brought down to the car. I assumed that meant it was coming with us?"

Chagrin spread across her cheeks. I teasingly tried to tug open the zipper, at which time she lunged forward and took the bag from me.

"I'll check it."

The awkward moment came and passed, and we made our way through the checkpoint and to our gate. We didn't have to wait long to board, and soon we were seated in a pair of comfortable first class seats.

"I'll have you know my detective skills are right up there with my finance expertise."

Bella cocked a brow at me. "Huh?"

"I fully intend on discovering what's inside that mystery suitcase of yours." The chagrin returned and she bit her lip nervously.

"I guess that means I'll be watching you like a hawk, Cullen." She leaned her head against my shoulder and closed her eyes.

I planted a kiss on the top of her head and smiled. I had no doubt in my mind that this would prove to be an interesting six weeks.

We barely made it off the runway before my beautiful, hungover Bella was fast asleep.

**-=- HC -=-**

I fell in love with Chicago when I was a teenager. Back then, my parents were inclined to toss me into band, and during my freshman year of high school we'd traveled to the Windy City for a national tournament. The band didn't win a damn thing, but just being there was enough to keep me in good spirits.

As luck would have it, three hours after Bella and I arrived in Chi-Town, Mother Nature reared her ugly head and decided to bestow not six, not ten, but fourteen inches of fluffy, white snow on the city.

"This is fucking perfect," I muttered when I pulled back the drapes in our hotel room. The traffic on Lake Shore Drive was at a complete standstill while pedestrians tried their best to navigate through the quickly accumulating mess.

Bella started laughing from her perch on the bed behind me.

"How is this funny? Have you even looked outside?" I whipped the curtains back into place and sank down onto a nearby chair.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude," Bella sputtered out between giggles. "It's just, well … how ironic is this? They make it through half of the winter with below average levels of precipitation only to get completely hammered with snow the day we get here."

"I still don't see how this is funny."

"Oh Edward, relax!" Bella stood and crossed the room, opening the drapes once more and looking down on the chaos. "There's a driver coming to take us to the university tomorrow. I'm sure they're accustomed to this kind of thing."

"Ha! Do you really think the driver can get here in this?"

"If he gives himself an ample amount of time, yes," Bella said optimistically.

"Well I for one don't foresee us going anywhere, unless it's within walking distance." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. "Go figure, it's my first speaking engagement ever and I won't even be present for it."

Bella turned away from the window and kneeled in front of me. She grabbed my wrists and gently pulled at my arms until they rested flat against my thighs. She cupped my face in her hands and lifted my head until our eyes me. "I promise you won't miss your speaking engagement. The snow is supposed to stop late tonight, the road crews will get out and take care of business while we're sleeping, and tomorrow when we wake we'll be greeted by a freshly-plowed winter wonderland."

I looked into her hopeful brown eyes and willed myself to relax. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because this isn't New York," she said with a shrug. I cracked a smile and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"As much as I'd love to believe you right now, that's hardly sound logic."

She stood and toed off her socks. "Sound logic or not, I believe this snow has rendered you mine for the afternoon and evening. I vote for some room service and a pay-per-view movie marathon. It's not often that I get a chance to kick my feet up and relax."

I watched as she pulled her hair up in a ponytail and tugged off her hooded sweatshirt. Laying low for the day didn't sound like too terrible of an idea. I let out a sigh of resignation and crossed the room to where my suitcases were.

Bella pulled back the sheets on the spacious bed and climbed in. She pulled her knees up to her chest and grabbed the remote off of the pillow. I stripped my clothes off until I was in nothing but my boxer briefs and t-shirt, grabbed my Kindle, and slid into bed next to her.

"Romance, action, or horror?"

"Surprise me?"

She smirked and clicked on the TV. "No bitching that I didn't give you a choice." Several minutes later the opening credits of a movie I'd never heard of danced across the screen. I lifted my arm and Bella curled up against my side, head on my chest and fingertips resting on my stomach.

The hours ticked by slowly. Bella kept her attention focused on the TV, pausing her movie marathon only to order us dinner. I remained glued to my book, enjoying the favorite pastime that I never had actual time to partake in.

It was just minutes after nine when I heard soft snores coming from the other side of the bed. I pulled the remote from her hand carefully and tugged the covers up to her shoulders. Once the lights were out, I snuggled up behind her, arm wrapped around her waist and legs pressed against hers.

Her familiar scent comforted me, and within minutes my own snores mingled in the air alongside hers.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Over the course of my twenty-nine years, I'd managed to stockpile quite the collection of memories in the back of my mind. I liked to think of them as my own vintage set of life's most memorable moments.

The moment my mom found out she had breast cancer – and the moment she finished her final round of chemotherapy six months later.

The moment I received my acceptance letter to Harvard.

The moment I got to experience the bitter pain of first love gone wrong, and the moments of weakness that followed.

Seeing Edward's expression when he finished giving his speech was another moment I knew I'd remember forever. The fear that had taken up residence in his facial features before he went on stage had completely dissolved, replaced by a combination of excitement and pride. His cheeks were glowing and his eyes were alive with a passion I'd never seen before.

When he found me waiting for him in the hallway, his eyes lit up even brighter and he spun me around in a tight hug.

"I did it," he whispered in my ear before putting me down. I squeezed his hand and smiled up at him.

"Of course you did."

"God, Bella, it was such a rush!" He led me towards the door we'd entered through, chatting excitedly the entire time. "I mean, I can't even describe it to you. I thought for sure I'd stand up there and make a complete fucking asshole out of myself, but once I started talking, it felt like I'd been doing this my entire life."

I slid into the back of our waiting car and brushed the snow off the sleeves of my coat. "I'm so happy for you! And for the record, I knew you'd be brilliant at this. You're good at what you do _and_ you're comfortable with attention."

Edward leaned over and mashed his lips against mine. I giggled, wrapping my hand around his neck and trailing my fingers through his hair.

"Do you mind if we meet up with some of the university staff for dinner? I kind of already told them we'd come," Edward asked when he pulled away.

I shook my head and smiled happily. "I don't mind at all!"

Edward remained in his element when we arrived at the restaurant. He answered questions, discussed some different investment strategies, and cracked a joke here and there. I thought he might burst when the head of the business program suggested he consider teaching at the college level.

"Me? A professor?"

"Absolutely," the older man said. "You're knowledgeable, you have experience, and there's no shortage of charisma on your end. The students would love you!"

"Don't I need a doctorate for that?"

"Not necessarily. I mean, if you want one then by all means, pursue that too, but I really think you should consider giving it a try. Even if you started out as an adjunct professor, I think you would be pleasantly surprised."

After that, there was no turning off the smile that lit his face.

A long meal turned into to an even longer stop for post-dinner cocktails. By the time we made it back to our hotel it was after midnight and Edward and I were both slightly tipsy.

"I need to call Jasper. Can you excuse me for five minutes?"

"Absolutely. I think I'm going to jump in the shower before bed." I grabbed my pajamas and headed for the bathroom.

My favorite part of staying at any W Hotel was the showers. The one in our room was gorgeous; glass-enclosed on two sides, lined with gorgeous slate-colored tiles, and equipped with a rain shower. I turned the water on, peeled my clothes off, and stepped in. Within minutes the bathroom resembled a sauna.

I was in the middle of shampooing my hair when I heard a throat clear. I turned and rubbed the fog away from the glass door to find Edward standing next to the sink. His shirt was unbuttoned and his tie hung loosely around his neck. He had a smirk on his face and a hot pink colored vibrating egg dangled from his left hand.

"I told you I was a good detective." He set the egg down on the vanity and undid his pants. I stepped under the showerhead to rinse the shampoo from my hair, keeping my eyes locked with his while he undressed.

Grabbing the egg once more, he slid the door open and stepped inside. I was afraid if I opened my mouth something terribly un-sexy would come tumbling out, so I kept it closed and backed up until I was flush with the tile wall.

"I'm going to pretend you weren't planning on hiding the contents of that suitcase from me for the next six weeks." He took a step forward, lowering his head and dragging his teeth across my shoulder. "But I'm afraid I can't let you off the hook that easily. I'm pretty sure something has to be done about your secrecy."

I swallowed hard. Holy hell was this hot. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

He clicked on the egg and ran it over my stomach and down lower. I giggled when he reached the ticklish spot on the outside of my thigh. "A slow torture of sorts. Perhaps you've been subjected to something similar before?"

"No, no, no, I can't say I have." His fingers found my folds, inching their way through soft skin, spreading the wetness and teasing me. As soon as I began to moan, his hand disappeared, replaced by the egg. He pressed the small object against my clit and turned it to the highest setting.

"Ahhh," I cried out, hunching forward and grabbing his shoulders for support. He dipped his head and sucked one nipple into his mouth, running his tongue around the pink flesh in a tight circle. Without any warning, he pulled both the egg and his mouth away.

"You're always so responsive," he whispered, peppering my collarbone with chaste kisses. I reached between us to grab his length, but he moved his abdomen away from me and dropped to his knees. His hands pushed my thighs apart and his eyes met mine.

"Please," I whispered, running my fingers through his hair and attempting to pull his face closer.

He ran the egg along my slit three times before pushing it inside of me. His tongue found my swollen bundle of nerves and flicked hard against it. My legs trembled, and he drew one up and over his shoulder. He pulled his head back and blew a chilled breath over my hot skin.

"Tell me what you want."

I could barely form a tangible thought let alone vocalize it.

"Edward…" He bit down on my clit and increased the setting on his newfound toy.

"I can't give you what you want unless you tell me," Edward teased. I blinked my eyes open and tugged up on his hair so that our eyes met.

"I want you to make me come, Edward." I was practically shouting. He smirked and pulled the egg out of me, plunging two fingers inside and sucking my clit between his lips.

"Mmmm," he hummed. The vibrations from his lips pushed me along, and soon I was dancing along the edge of a delicious orgasm. He pumped his fingers faster, curling them in just the right way, and dragged his teeth oh-so-carefully over my clit. That was all it took.

"Holy fuck," I cried, grabbing for something to hold onto that wasn't there. My back arched forward and my head hit the wall behind me.

"That was beautiful," he murmured, kissing the inside of each thigh and easing my leg off of him. Edward stood and gripped my chin in his hand, tilting my face up and slipping his tongue between my lips. I could taste my own arousal on him, and it only made the moment that much hotter. I tried a second time to grab his cock, but he still wouldn't let me. Instead, he spun me around and grabbed my hips in his hands. He ran his cock through my folds before pushing just the tip inside.

I reached up and placed my palms flat against the shower wall. Edward covered my hands with his and slid hard into me.

"That's so deep," I breathed, glancing over my shoulder. His expression was beautiful; eyes squeezed shut, mouth slightly open, brow furrowed, and water dripping off his hair and onto his cheeks. He pulled back until he was almost all the way out, and then thrust forward, pushing my body into the tiles.

"God, Bella, I could live inside you," he said, pressing his lips against the nape of my neck. He brought his hands down and gripped my hips, pulling them to him with each thrust forward. Every time I would get close to tipping over the edge, Edward would slow his pace, stealing my orgasm and giving me another incredible buildup.

"Mmmmm, so close, so close," I moaned. His fingertips dug into my hips and he growled as my walls started to clench down on his length.

"Come for me, Bella." He grabbed one of my hands and lowered it until both of our fingers were massaging my clit. One, two, three deep thrusts and I was putty in his arms.

"Yes, yes, yes," he yelled, burying himself deep inside me when he found his own release. I slumped forward, resting my cheek against the tiles. Edward slid out of me and reached over to turn off the water.

"I still need to condition," I mumbled, opening one eye to look at him.

"I think we used up all the hot water," he said, smirking and grabbing a towel off the rack. He wrapped the fluffy white fabric around my shoulders and steered me toward the bed in our suite.

"Conditioner can wait til tomorrow," I mumbled, falling into the comfortable pile of blankets and pillows. Edward scooted in next to me and pulled me against him.

"I think we need to do a little further inspection of that suitcase of yours tomorrow," he chuckled. I slapped my palm against my forehead and groaned.

"You can thank Mike and Alice for that lovely contraption when we return to the city."

"I say we make it our goal to use every item in that bag by the time this trip is done."

I flipped over so I was facing him and ran my fingertips over his chest. "Every item?"

"Well, maybe not _every_ item. But maybe one in each city?"

I contemplated for a moment before sticking my hand out. "Deal."

"Deal." Edward shook my hand and pulled me closer, burying my face against his chest. I took a deep breath and smiled.

Just one night with Edward was enough to make any woman's lady parts feel alive.

In my case, it was also enough to make my heart start to feel alive as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's how I'm going to do this book tour thing: Chapters 17, 19, 21, 23, and 25 will be longer chapters, one from each city on the book tour. These will be E&B exclusive chapters. The ones in-between will be shorter, and will revery back to NYC so we can keep track of our other favorite duos while all the fun is happening.
> 
> Thank you again for all the reviews, rec's, PMs, and support! Your words mean the world to me. :)
> 
> xoxo


	18. Celebrations and Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Manhattan we go. :)
> 
> I hope everyone at Comic Con had a grand time - and that someone managed to lick Rob for me. Hehe.
> 
> Thanks to the wonderful TwidictedByrd for letting me pick her brain about some details in this chapter.
> 
> This one is unbeta'd, but I gotta thank Chloe Masen simply for being her amazing self. xoxo
> 
> I love to hear your thoughts, so don't be shy and leave them for me. :)
> 
> Chapter Song: There Goes My Life by Kenny Chesney
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Recognizable faces, spaces, and places belong to their respective owners. Everything else belongs to me.

**Jasper's POV**

Tuesday started out just like any other day. I got up early enough to hit the gym, grabbed breakfast from one of the many food carts near my apartment, and made it to the office fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. I was busy editing my way through a small stack of articles and thinking of how to reign in one of my feature writers when my cell buzzed with an incoming call.

I didn't recognize the number, but the 212 area code led me to assume it was business-related. I cleared my throat before answering. "Hello?"

"Good morning. I'm looking for Mr. Jasper Whitlock."

"This is Jasper Whitlock."

"Hi Jasper. My name is Brady Fuller. I'm with Condé Nast. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

I sat up straight in my chair and dropped my pen on the desk. Weeks ago I'd applied for a sports editor position at _GQ Magazine_. I kept the news under wraps, mainly because I knew Edward would flip out, but also because I didn't think I had a chance in hell of getting it.

Apparently I was wrong.

"Yes, yes I have some time to talk." I stood and closed the door to my office.

"Your resume came across my desk yesterday and I was hoping you could tell me a bit about yourself. It says you graduated from NYU with your Master's in 2008?"

"Yes, I did. My concentration was in magazine writing."

"That's interesting. You don't have any magazines listed on here. Any particular reason for that?"

"Not really," I answered honestly. "I started working at _The Journal_ shortly before I began my graduate program. I moved up the ranks, made some good business relationships within the company, and saw no reason to fix something that wasn't broken."

"But you're jumping ship now?"

"I wouldn't call it 'jumping ship.' I feel as though I've learned as much as I can in my current position. I'm eager for a new experience, and not only would working for GQ be just that, but it would also be an area of journalism I've never formally been in before."

I could hear Brady shuffling papers on the other end of the line, but he said nothing. I pushed out a soft cough so the silence didn't go on long enough to become awkward.

"I see one of our art directors – Jessica I believe – put in a good word for you as well. What's your relation to her?"

I furrowed my brow in confusion. I knew she worked at the magazine, but I hadn't spoken to her in years, and I certainly hadn't asked her for a recommendation.

"Mr. Whitlock?"

"Um, yes, sorry about that. I know Jessica from my undergraduate program."

"I'd like to discuss this opportunity a bit more in detail with you. Is there any way you could come by my office this Friday, let's say at two?"

"Absolutely. Would you like me to bring some of my writing samples?"

"That would be great." Brady gave me the address to his office (which I didn't need, but politely accepted) before we said our goodbyes.

The first person I wanted to call was Edward. Considering where the interview was at, and who worked there, I decided it was more appropriate to call Alice. Edward was halfway across the country after all, and there was no guarantee that I'd get the position. I didn't see any point in creating a storm if I didn't have to.

"Hey sweetie," Alice chirped. The sound of her voice sent me off to cloud nine.

"Guess what?"

"Whatever it is must be exciting. I didn't even get a hello out of you!"

"I have a job interview on Friday!"

"Jasper, that's amazing! I didn't realize you were looking for a new job," Alice said excitedly.

"I didn't want to say anything until I heard back." I let the little white lie slip by. It was easier than trying to explain the inevitable Cullen drama that loomed on the horizon.

"Where is the interview at? Another newspaper in the area?"

"Actually it's at GQ. I thought it would be nice to try something new."

I closed my eyes and pictured the excitement on Alice's face as she spoke. "Oh my God, that's great! GQ is a big deal, Jasper. That's a major magazine! You must be so excited!"

"Of course I'm excited, sweetheart. That's why I called you."

Alice laughed. "I think a celebration of sorts is in order tonight. Meet me at my office after work?"

I grinned. "Sure. I'll call Emmett too, and let him know to grab Rose and meet us."

"Congratulations, baby. I'm so happy for you!" Alice made a cheesy kissing sound before she hung up. I tossed my phone on my desk, leaned back in my chair and smiled.

"Whitlock, what-" Diego Navarro burst through the door to my office. He stopped when he saw the expression on my face. "What has you so happy?"

Diego happened to be the journalist I needed to reign in. He was one hell of a writer, but the guy drove me fucking crazy. He was always in my office, telling some dirty joke, talking about his weekend drinking escapades, or trying to kiss my ass into giving him a promotion. On top of that, when left to his own devices he came up with the most ridiculous story ideas I'd ever seen.

"What can I help you with Diego?"

He raked a hand through his shaggy black hair and spun an empty chair around, straddling it and resting his elbows against the back. "I have this story idea I wanted to run by you."

"Diego-"

He held up his hand to stop me. "Hear me out boss, this is going to be a good one. You know that pretzel truck down by Washington Square?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and simply nodded, deciding to appease him. I didn't want my good mood to go south with some ridiculous argument. "There's about three different pretzel stands down there."

"Well, I'm talking about the one that operates out of the old red delivery truck. I can't think of the name right now, but anyway, one of my cousins is pretty sure they're selling more than pretzels out of that truck."

"Oh really? And what else might they be selling? Hot dogs? Soda? Throw me a bone here, Diego."

"Sex and drugs!" Diego jumped up from the chair and clapped his hands. "Who the hell wouldn't want to read about that? I was thinking we could do some sort of expose, you know? Send in a writer, maybe Andrea from A&E, and get some undercover coverage? Some real Leonard Bernstein shit, right?"

"It's Woodward and Bernstein." I sighed and leaned forward in my chair, folding my hands together and resting them on my desk. "I appreciate how enthusiastic you are, Diego, but might I remind you this is a business newspaper? We aren't here to cover scandals, unless they involve top dogs at Fortune 500 companies."

"But, what if…" His voice trailed off as I stood up.

"No what ifs. I have three good story leads for you right here," I said, handing him a piece of paper I'd been scribbling ideas down on.

"Aw, c'mon Jasper! These are all dry and boring!"

"To you perhaps, but this is what our audience reads. Now, I want you to pick one of those and have it on my desk by Friday morning so I can get it in the Sunday edition. Is that feasible?"

Diego slumped his shoulders forward dejectedly. "Sure thing, boss."

I watched as the young man trudged out of my office. For a moment I felt guilty, but then thoughts of my phone conversation with Brady flooded my mind, and a smile lit my face once more.

_Food truck sex scandals. Where the fuck does he get that shit?_

I _had_ to get this job at GQ, if for no other reason than to get away from idiots like Diego.

I also had to remember to find some way to tell Jessica thank you for the recommendation. Even though I hadn't asked for it, the fact that she was still willing to do that for me after all these years warranted some sort of thanks.

_Besides, Edward doesn't have to find out about the recommendation._

I laughed out loud when the thought popped into my mind.

Edward would find out. He always managed to wrangle information out of me. And when he did, the shit would hit the fan and cascade all around the room until everyone became a part of it.

I sighed and spun my chair around to face the window.

Edward would eventually get over it.

Besides, now that he was dating Bella he didn't have much of a choice.

* * *

**Rose's POV**

Emmett clanked his fork against the edge of his beer and cleared his throat. "I'd like to propose a toast." He looked at Jasper and winked. "To Jasper, best of luck with your interview man, I can't think of anyone more deserving. And to Bella and Edward, who aren't here with us, but who are hopefully living it up in Chicago."

I joined in the group glass clinking before taking a sip of my wine. Emmett never ceased to amaze me. I knew Edward wasn't his favorite person, and he didn't have to wish him well, but the fact that he did anyway tugged at my heart a little.

"So what would this new position entail?" I asked Jasper after we all quieted down.

"Assigning story ideas, getting contacts for interviews, working with the rest of the editorial team to devise themes for each issue, and more." Jasper smiled proudly. "I do quite a bit of the same work at _The Journal_ already, but doing it for a magazine will be an entirely different process."

"I'm guessing it's an entirely different pay grade too?" Emmett wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

Jasper laughed. "Yes, from what I know the salary is a smidge larger. That's not why I want the job though."

"Well either way, I'm so proud of you," Alice bubbled, leaning over to give Jasper a kiss on his cheek. He beamed at us and tipped back his drink.

"Has anybody heard from our Midwest lovebirds?" I'd only talked to Bella twice in the five days she'd been gone, which honestly surprised me. I always said no news was good news, so I could only assume Edward was taking decent care of her.

"Edward texted me something about a giant ass Marilyn Monroe statue last night, but that's all I've heard," Jasper answered.

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "I talked to Bella Sunday, but it wasn't an uber long conversation or anything. She's still embarrassed by the surprise suitcase, but I know she'll get over it. Besides, she seemed more than happy to share all the juicy details of the first toy Edward-"

"Stop right there! Details of Cullen's sex life can stay on the down low where they belong." Emmett pointed the neck of his beer bottle at Alice and shook his head, giving her an exaggeratedly stern look.

"Fine, fine, fine." Alice pouted and rolled her eyes. I laughed.

"Give these two a break, Ali. They aren't quite used to our lady banter."

"Nor am I sure I ever want to be," Jasper teased.

"Unfortunately for you both it comes with the territory of dating us." Alice crossed her arms over chest smugly.

"Well, in that case…" Emmett placed his napkin on the table and attempted to stand up. I swatted his thigh and pulled him back into his chair, eliciting laughter from both him and Jasper.

"You know, we're quite low-maintenance compared to some of the women on this island," I pointed out.

"Like your sister?" Emmett laughed even harder. I punched his arm playfully.

"Bree is in a category all her own," I said, swallowing the rest of my wine and digging into my pasta.

"You're right about that," Alice agreed. "Thank god that character flaw isn't genetic."

I rolled my eyes and smiled, enjoying the happiness that being with my friends brought. Ever since Emmett and I arrived in LA, I felt like I'd stepped out of my world and onto an emotional roller coaster. There was no logical explanation for it, but any break from what I assumed was a hormonally induced funk was greatly appreciated on my end.

Okay, so that wasn't entirely true. I _did_ have an idea about what was causing my nonstop mood swings. I just didn't want to spend my dinner dwelling over it.

"So ladies, I know it's still a month away, but is there anything in particular either of you would like to do for Valentine's Day?" Jasper placed his napkin on top of his empty plate and looked back and forth between Alice and I.

"Are we going to do a double for that night?" I asked.

Alice nodded excitedly. "It would be so much fun! I wonder if there're any good bands coming to town? Or maybe a show that we'd all want to go see?"

"If it's a show, I can probably get us good seats, and a bit of time with the cast after," Emmett offered. "Or into an after party if there is one."

"Alright, so dinner and a show?" Jasper looked around the table again and the corners of his mouth curved up in a smile. "Going once…"

"…going twice," Emmett said.

"Sold!" Jasper reached across the table and gave Emmett an excited fist bump.

The waitress came around to see if we wanted anything else and left the bill. Four hands dove straight for the small leather pad, Emmett being the quickest and snatching it up. He took care of everyone's tab (much to Jasper's protest), and helped me into my coat. Alice and I led the guys outside, where we both promptly lit cigarettes.

"Will they offer you the job on the spot, or did this Brady guy say they have other candidates to interview?" Emmett asked Jasper.

"I have no clue. He didn't give me any indication."

"Well good luck either way!" I stepped forward and gave Jasper a friendly hug. "One of you needs to call us this weekend and let us know how it went!" I butted my cigarette and grabbed Emmett's hand.

"What do you two have going on this weekend?" Alice cocked an eyebrow and glanced at me curiously.

"I'm taking Rose up to Maine to meet my family," Emmett said, squeezing my fingers between his.

"Shame on you for not telling me this!" Alice shook her finger teasingly at me. I shrugged and smiled up at my boyfriend.

"We just got the okay from his mom today," I explained. "We were debating a few different weekends."

"Since when do your parents live in main?" Jasper furrowed his brow.

"They moved up there about four years ago," Emmett answered. "Dad insisted on retiring in Portland and mom went along with it."

"That's a beautiful area." Jasper turned to face me. "Make sure this oaf takes you up there in the summer too. You can catch some lobsters while you're there."

I cringed. "Summer travels are fine, but I draw the line at catching crustaceans."

"Such a girl," Alice chided. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and checked the time. "I hate to put a damper on our otherwise fabulous evening, but I have to go into the office early tomorrow."

I said a silent thanks to the gods of perfect timing. In addition to being moody, I was also exhausted as of late, and right then all I wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed.

"Should we do dinner again next week? Same time, different place?" Jasper looked around at us. "I'm just tossing it out there."

Emmett nodded. "I like that idea." Alice and I agreed as well, and before we went our separate ways we decided to meet at a popular bar and grille in the Village the following Tuesday.

"Do you want to walk home?"

I looked over at Emmett and nodded. It was a nice night for January, and I didn't see the sense in wasting it by staying cooped up in the back of a car. Besides, my stomach was a bit queasy after dinner, and I also didn't want to risk getting sick all over someone's leather interior.

"Have fun in Maine!" Alice said, blowing me a kiss. I caught it and pretended to stuff it in my purse before blowing one back at her.

Emmett slid his arm around my waist and steered me in the direction of his apartment. I rested my head against his shoulder while we walked, taking a deep breath of the cold Manhattan air.

"I'll call you if I get any news!" Jasper shouted after us. Emmett and I both waved our free hands over our shoulders in response.

"I love you," Emmett whispered, leaning down and pressing his lips against my cheek.

"I love you too."

_Oh, what a lucky woman I am._

* * *

**Alice's POV**

When I met Rose for lunch at the end of the week I could tell something was off. I expected to have to do a little prying to find out exactly what, but she offered up the information not long after we ordered.

"I'm late."

"What? You were actually fifteen minutes early today, which didn't go unnoticed-"

"Not for lunch, Ali. My period is late."

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Rose rolled her eyes and tore the roll she held in half.

"Thanks for the supportive reaction."

"Did you take a test?" I winced at my own words. That probably wasn't the support she was seeking, but it was the best I could do in the moment.

She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Not yet. I'm scared shitless, Alice. What if it comes back positive? You know I've never wanted a family."

This was true. I thought back to all the hours her, Bella, and I had spent discussing this topic. Rose had never once waivered in her decision to not have children. She wanted to get married, but her lifestyle wouldn't make child rearing an easy thing, and Rose didn't want to bring any little ones into the world if she couldn't fully dedicate herself to them. I always thought it was extremely responsible on her part.

"What will you do if it does?"

Rose buried her head in her hands and let out a sigh. "I don't know. I can't have kids, Alice. I would be the world's worst mother. And Emmett doesn't want them either. He'd probably pack his bags and run straight for the hills."

"Shhh," I whispered, reaching out and squeezing her arm. "Emmett is head over heels for you. He would never do something like that."

"But what if he did? I couldn't do something like this by myself! I'd be totally fucked."

"There are other options…" My voice trailed off when our waitress appeared with our meals.

Rose shook her head and looked down at her plate. "I could never do that. I would spend the rest of my life living with the guilt."

"There are other options outside of _that_ as well," I pointed out. "I hate to have to ask this now, but were you using protection?"

"Of course we were! We were always careful, but this shit happens sometimes, and … fuck!" Rose slapped her hand down on the table angrily.

"Oh, sweetie. Take a deep breath, we'll finish our lunch and then we'll head over to Duane Reade to grab a test. You can take it at my apartment."

Rose nodded and stood up. "Excuse me," she mumbled, heading in the direction of the restroom. I took the opportunity to send a text to the administrative assistant at our office, letting her know I wouldn't be coming back this afternoon.

"I'm sorry I'm such a fucking mess," Rose said when she returned. I smiled sympathetically and waved my hand nonchalantly.

"Given the circumstances I'd say you have every right to be a fucking mess."

This brought a smile to her face, and we spent the remainder of our lunch discussing superficial things like the weather and what stores we wanted to hit that weekend. The cloud suspended over us seemed to disappear then, and if I didn't know Rose so well I would have thought everything was okay by the time we finished eating.

"TAXI!" I called once we were outside, waving at the small group of yellow colored cabs that were driving past.

"You aren't going to call the car to come back for us?"

I shook my head and laughed. "I don't feel like playing the Driving Miss Daisy game today."

When the cab dropped us off in front of Duane Reade, Rose didn't want to go in. She promptly lit a cigarette and stepped aside to wait between a mailbox and the store's ashtray. I forged ahead, grabbing a box of three tests, purchased it, and met my best friend back outside.

"You didn't get the shitty generic brand did you?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "No, I did not get a 'shitty generic brand' of pregnancy test."

"Thank fuck because the last thing I need is inaccuracy." Rose butted her cigarette and we began the one-block walk to my apartment.

"Have you said anything to Bella?"

Rose shook her head. "No, I didn't want to mention anything until after I figured shit out. You better believe I'll be calling her if that thing comes up positive though."

"You should call her either way sweetie. I'm sure she would want to be there to support you." I wrapped my arm around Rose's waist and pulled her against me in a sort-of hug. One elevator ride and an obnoxious deadbolt later left us sitting at my kitchen table.

"Can I do this, Alice?" Rose looked more vulnerable in that moment than I'd ever seen her look before.

I smiled. "You do know how to take a piss, right?"

Rose mock-punched my shoulder, but the corners of her mouth tugged up into a smile. "Bitch. Give me the tests."

I handed her the box and watched as she disappeared into my bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged carrying all three tests. I grabbed a few pieces of paper towel and laid them on the table, then set the alarm on my cell phone for three minutes from then. Rose turned away and began biting her nails nervously. I reached over and squeezed her knee gently.

"Do you want to look or should I?" I asked when the alarm went off.

"I can't." Rose rested her elbows against her knees and buried her face in her hands. I took a deep breath and picked up the first test. A small, bright blue plus stared back at me. I glanced down at the second and third tests, seeing the same results mirrored in each of the tiny windows.

"Rose…" I didn't have to tell her what the results were; everything she needed to see was painted in the expression on my face.

"Fuck!" She grabbed the tests and looked at them, tossing each one into the nearby trashcan violently. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! What the FUCK am I supposed to FUCKING do now?"

"Honey, just calm down-"

"Calm down?" She whirled around and planted her hands on her hips. "How do you expect me to calm down, Alice? This is so messed up! Emmett is going to flip and I'm going to be stuck raising some kid by myself! I have a new line to design, the Paris trip to go on, and red carpets to attend! I can't be pregnant!"

"Sweetie, you need to sit down." I grabbed her shoulders and guided her back on to her chair. "Nothing I say right now is going to make you feel any better because you're so upset, but I promise everything will be okay."

"You don't know that Alice!" Her shoulders shook with sobs and tears ran down her cheeks.

"Maybe I don't, but I do know that Bella and I will always be here for you, and that means that if you fall, we'll pick you up." I reached out to hug her, but Rose pushed my arms away and stood abruptly, knocking the chair down.

"You and Bella can't fix this!" she yelled, pulling her coat on hurriedly and grabbing her purse. "The last thing I need right now is two eternal fucking optimists breathing down my back!"

"I'm not breathing down your back, I'm just-"

"I don't _need_ you to do anything for me!" She flung my front door open and fixed me with a hard stare. "What I need right now is a god damn cocktail. Oh, wait – I can't have one of those for nine fucking months!"

"Rose, please, wait-"

"Oh, shut up already Alice! I don't want to hear it."

I watched as she stormed off down the hall and disappeared into the elevator. My eyes filled with tears as I closed my door.

I couldn't even begin to fathom what Rose was feeling. I'd never had a pregnancy scare in my life, much less taken a test that came back positive. I wanted to call Bella and ask what to do, but the news wasn't mine to share and I knew it.

I tip toed to the living room and sat on the sofa, pulling my knees against my chest.

For the first time in a long time, I had no idea what was next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, my, my... O_O


	19. Minneapolis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! :)
> 
> I just have to say - class is officially over (hoorah!), and while I will be interning now, ALL my free time that went to homework will now get dedicated to my writing. *throws confetti around in celebration*
> 
> This chapter was a real headache. I hated it, then loved it, then hated it, and finally ended up loving it enough to post. And I'm not gonna lie, Rob in that navy blue Gucci number last night distracted me. Not as much as WALL STREET Rob did this morning and tonight, however. I almost felt like Stockward here jumped right off the screen and into RL for us all to enjoy. ;)
> 
> Thanks to WitchyVampireGirl for lending me her hockey knowledge and other opinions, Chloe Masen for being her incredible self and always being there, and Rose Arcadia for the amazing blog redesign.
> 
> Now, who's ready for some Edward and Bella action?
> 
> Chapter Song: Lay Your Cards Out by Polica
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM and the Mall of America belongs to its rightful owners (thank fuck because I despise that place). Any Minnesotanisms and the rest of the plot belong to me. ;)

**Bella's POV**

Chicago got a ridiculous amount of snow.

Minnesota, on the other hand, was just plain ridiculously cold.

"Do you think that's enough layers?" Edward was sitting on the edge of the bed in our hotel room watching in amusement as I put a long-sleeved button up shirt over the camisole and t-shirt I already had on.

I shook my head and grabbed my hooded sweatshirt off a nearby chair. "I'd rather be over prepared than risk freezing my ass off."

"That's why I'm here, baby. I'd never let you freeze your ass off. Just think of me as your own personal space heater."

I zipped my sweatshirt and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "Please tell me you did not just say that."

Edward laughed and stood up, handing me my coat. "Oh, you better believe I did."

"Are you beefing up the cheesiness for any particular reason?" I asked, tugging on my hat and mittens. Edward opened the door and gestured for me to exit ahead of him.

"Cheesiness has been known to help guys get lucky you know."

"Name one time you've ever had to act sappy to 'get lucky'." My fingers curled into air quotes.

"Well, um…" Edward made a show of thinking about his answer. "High school?"

"I mean in the last decade."

"Are you doubting my ability to charm the ladies?" He arched his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Not at all. It certainly wasn't your classy behavior that lured me in."

Edward slid into the car next to me and smirked. "Was there something in your coffee this morning that you aren't telling me about? You've got the wit cranked up about five extra notches today."

"I blame the cold."

The drive to the University of Minnesota was peppered with Friday afternoon traffic, giving Edward and I plenty of time to take in the sights outside. The Minneapolis skyline was beautiful, especially set out against the snowy white landscape. We arrived at the Carlson School of Management building with just enough time for me to smoke a cigarette before we went inside.

"Have you ever considered quitting?" Edward asked, pointing at my cigarette.

I nodded. "Many times. It's on my resolution list again this year."

"Perhaps we need to outfit you with one of those electronic cigarette things."

"I'm willing to try anything once," I said with a shrug.

When I was finished, Edward led me inside to the lecture hall he was scheduled to speak in. I flitted around, checking to make sure there were enough handouts and that the accompanying PowerPoint was set up correctly. At ten minutes to six I made my way to the back of the room and shrugged out of my coat, taking a seat and getting ready to watch my boyfriend shine once again.

A portly man stepped up to the podium and tapped his finger against the microphone. "Good evening students, alumni, and guests. Tonight we have a very special guest here at Carlson, one that traveled all the way from the Big Apple to share his knowledge with us. He's the author of _Invest Today, Retire Tomorrow: Financial Stability for Today's Millennials_ , and one of the many minds that navigates Wall Street every day. Please give a warm, Minnesota welcome to Mr. Edward Cullen."

I clapped along with the rest of the crowd while Edward shook the hand of the man who introduced him. Soon he was standing behind the podium adjusting his tie and preparing to speak.

"Good evening and welcome," Edward began, flashing the group of people before him his always-dazzling smile. "Before I say anything more, I just want to thank the U of M for having me come here tonight, and all of you for taking time out of your schedules to come out and hear what I have to say. I'm almost positive there's a hundred more interesting things to do in this town than sit and listen to a New Yorker babble about finance – even when it's colder than the Arctic Circle outside!"

A few audience members chuckled before he continued. "When I started college over a decade ago, there were two things on my mind: beer and women. College debt was the last thing I cared about, especially when Friday night rolled around and the doors to a dozen or so house parties opened up." I couldn't help but smile as I rolled my eyes. I'd heard some variation of this introduction when we were in Chicago, and it was having the same effect on the audience as it did there; the students were laughing and giving one another fist bumps, the parents were shaking their heads while trying to hide the fact that they could relate on some level, and everyone else was looking on nostalgically.

"My parents have always been planners, and thanks to them I didn't walk away with a mountain of debt when I got my degree. Not everyone is fortunate like that though, and that's why I'm here tonight. Now, let's warm up with a show of hands – how many of you have actually read the book?"

I listened to the first portion of Edward's speech before allowing my mind to wander. We were only two stops in on the tour, which meant that we still had a little over a month left to spend together away from New York. The thought made me smile, but at the same time I felt a tiny pang of sadness in my gut at the idea of waking up alone again when we returned to life in the city. As much as I hated to admit it, Edward's constant presence was growing on me. I'd always been an independent woman, and the idea of one man breaking all that down in a matter of weeks scared me.

_He's not breaking anything down you dork – you're falling in love with him._

The thought left me confused. Falling in love after only a few weeks? My mind was far less romantic than my heart, and right now it was dead set on that idea being completely crazy.

It wasn't crazy, however. It actually made some sense to me. Things hadn't exactly moved at lighting speed between us. We spent months doing a cat-and-mouse chase with one another before making anything official, and I couldn't deny the fact that my feelings had been continuously evolving during that time as well.

Watching Edward speak unleashed a new and exciting feeling in my chest; one that I hadn't felt for any man before – not even the two I knew I'd been 'in love' with.

Suddenly I was no longer in the lecture hall, but back in New York, waiting outside of our apartment for him to come home from work. The diamond on my left hand reflected the glow from the streetlight above, and when he stepped out of the back of the Lincoln he handed me a bouquet of Calla Lilies and whispered "happy anniversary baby" in my ear.

New York vanished and Punta Cana took its place. An alter on the sand, Edward in a tux, me in a flowing white dress, and our friends laughing and spinning around on the beach beside us. Two "I dos," one long kiss, and a haphazard bouquet toss later we joined our families at the beachside bar to celebrate.

Just like that Punta Cana was gone, only to be replaced with Forks. I helped Renee in the kitchen while Edward and Charlie watched the Thanksgiving Day game. Renee squeezed my arm and told me she's never seen me so happy before. I smiled shyly back at her, rubbing my stomach and telling her we had a soon-to-be new addition to be happy about.

"I'll be doing a book signing tomorrow morning at ten at the Mall of America. Please come out and say hi if you if you have the chance. Thank you once again." The sound of Edward's voice followed by loud clapping forced me back to reality. I blinked my eyes a few times until the lecture hall came into focus and looked up to find him grinning from ear-to-ear. I stood and smiled, clapping wildly myself and making my way to the front of the room.

"Where were you?" Edward whispered when I was within earshot.

"Back row, last seat on the right," I teased.

"Let me rephrase myself; where was your _mind_?"

I shrugged. "New York, Forks … somewhere." I reached out and took his hand in mine, squeezing it affectionately. "You were amazing, as always."

"You're my publicist. You get paid to say that."

"Actually I have to say it because I'm your girlfriend." I stuck my tongue out and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll be waiting outside," I said, motioning to the hallway. Edward continued to work his magic, talking to some of the university staff and answering questions for the audience members that lingered.

I let my thoughts return to their previous location as I got my coat and mittens on. I knew I'd considered my potential future with both Seth and Ben, but only Edward managed to stir up the vivid images that had passed through my mind minutes ago.

Our relationship, though only in its infantile stages, was already so different and so much more … serious than my previous two. When it came time to tell both men from my past how I truly felt, I'd been so apprehensive that I ended up blathering out a mouthful of word vomit before even getting my feelings across. I ended up feeling – and probably looking – like an idiot when the experience was supposed to be happy and romantic.

With Edward, I felt no apprehension whatsoever. I was ready to climb up a mountain and shout my feelings out so that everyone could hear them.

As I watched Edward stride toward me, all smirk, suit, tousled hair, and practically oozing sex, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

I was going to tell Edward that I loved him.

And I was going to do it before we left Minneapolis.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"Thank you for coming out today," I said, closing the book's cover and sliding it across the table. The middle-aged woman standing before me smiled and tucked it beneath her arm.

"I couldn't miss it after hearing you speak yesterday." She slipped a wayward curl behind her ear and shifted nervously. "My son starts college this fall and he needs all the help he can get."

I laughed. "Best of luck to him."

Five more books accompanied by five similar exchanges and then the line was gone. Bella sat in a chair off to my left, chatting with one of the Mall of America PR reps.

"I think that's a wrap," I said, standing and stretching my arms over my head. Bella took the Sharpie marker I was holding and stuffed it in her purse.

"Thank you so much for organizing this," Bella said, shaking the employee's hand and smiling.

"The pleasure is all ours. Is there anything else I can assist you with while you're here?"

"Where's the best place to get lunch in this mall?" I asked.

"Well, that depends on what you're in the mood for. There's a pretty good mix of places here. Italian, American, Asian … Name your poison and I'll try to steer you in the right direction."

"Italian," Bella said instantly.

"What the lady said," I laughed.

"Tucci Benucch is the place to go for good Italian." The employee pointed toward the amusement park in the center of the mall. "Walk straight across there and it'll be on the other side, in the West Market."

I shook hands with her and we said our goodbyes before Bella and I headed off for lunch. After we were seated and had placed two orders for baked spaghetti, we began discussing what we wanted to do for the rest of our time in Minneapolis.

"We already have plans for tonight," Bella said matter-of-factly.

"We do?"

She nodded and a smile crept across her face. "I have a little surprise in store for you. Let's just hope you like it."

"Well if it's anything like that suitcase, I can guarantee you I'll enjoy it."

Bella rolled her eyes and pulled an ice cube out of her water glass, tossing it at me playfully. "I'm going to conveniently 'forget' that suitcase at one of these stops."

"Oh no you're not." I shook my head dramatically. "I'll resort to drastic measures to ensure that thing survives the entire trip."

She sighed and slapped her palm against her forehead. "Why, why, why do my friends have to do these things to me?"

"Because they love you," I pointed out. "Now, back to this surprise."

Bella was about to say something when her phone buzzed. She dug it out of her purse and swiped her fingers across the screen, breaking out in a big smile.

"Jasper got a new job!"

_Since when was Jasper looking for a new job?_

"Did he text you?"

She shook her head and typed a return message, then placed the phone on the table and looked up at me. "It was Alice."

I pushed my spaghetti around with my fork, wondering why my best friend wouldn't have said anything to me. We'd only been out of town for a week, so I knew this wasn't a last-minute thing. As chick-like as it seemed, I couldn't help but feel a bit wounded by the fact that he didn't want to share his excitement with me.

"Did she say where it's at?"

"I just asked her that," Bella said. Her phone buzzed once more. "That's probably her now."

I flagged down our waiter and ordered another drink. Bella's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.

"He's the new sports editor for _GQ_."

My fork fell from between my fingers and clattered against my plate loudly. "Wait, where did you say he's working?"

" _GQ_ ," she repeated, cocking her head to the side and staring confusedly at me. "He's a sports editor there. He starts in two weeks."

_That would be precisely why he didn't tell you._

"Will you excuse me for a minute?" I tugged the napkin off my lap and deposited it on top of the table, giving Bella no time to answer before I was out of the booth and in the crowded mall corridor. I dialed Jasper's number and waited through three rings. I was about to hang up when he answered.

"Edward! What's up man? How's Minneapolis?" There was no way he knew that Alice had told Bella. He sounded far too upbeat and not nearly nervous enough.

"When were you planning on telling me you applied for a position at _GQ_?" Why beat around the bush when I could cut right to the chase?

My question was met with a long pause.

"Well?"

"I was planning on telling you _after_ you got back from the book tour, Edward." Jasper sighed and I could picture his exasperated expression. "I didn't want to piss you off and then have Bella suffer the consequences for the rest of your time away."

"This is something that has to do with you and I, not Bella. Although if you didn't want Bella involved you probably should have told Alice not to break the news."

"Really Edward, this is something that deals with _me_. Not you, not Bella, not Alice … just me."

My jaw fell in shock. "How could you even say this has nothing to do with me? Look at who you'll be working with!"

"Thanks for showing me the support a best friend is supposed to, Edward," Jasper spit out.

"Perhaps I'd be more inclined to show you support if you weren't going to be spending Monday through Friday with the woman who broke my fucking heart!"

"Give me a break, Cullen! She's one of a hundred people in that office. It's not like I'll be working alongside her constantly."

"No, but you're both editors, so I'm sure you'll have an adequate amount of time to share."

"Oh my god man, do you want any more straws to grasp at?" Jasper paused and lowered his voice. "It's been almost ten years since everything went down. The world hasn't stopped yet for you, Edward. It sure as hell isn't going to now."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I was gripping my phone so tightly I thought I might break it.

"It means you've got something good with Bella and it's time to get over the past and move into the fucking present!"

"Oh, I'm in the present all right; in the present where my so-called best friend hides information from me." On the other end of the line, Jasper let out a whoop of laughter, which only fueled the hurt-induced anger I felt. "That's great, Whitlock. Let's all just laugh it up."

"What else am I supposed to do, Edward? You're acting like a crazy person." Jasper sighed. "Look, when you're capable of discussing this like a rational human being, then feel free to call me. I'm not going to sit here and waste my time explaining myself to you when I don't owe anyone an explanation."

The line went dead before I had a chance to respond.

I shoved my cell phone back in my pocket and stomped into the restaurant. Bella was busy signing the credit receipt for our bill and having the waitress pack our leftovers up into doggy bags.

"I didn't know how long you were going to be, so I figured I'd take care of the check." Her brown eyes met mine and she smiled softly. "Do you want to talk about whatever is wrong?"

I ran a hand through my hair and rolled my eyes. "Honestly? No, I don't. Did you call the car to pick us up?"

She looked like I'd slapped her. "Uh, yeah, it's waiting downstairs by the light rail terminal."

"Great." I grabbed my to-go box and turned hastily. I knew I was being an ass, and that Bella didn't deserve to be the target of my anger, but I just couldn't stop myself. "Coming?"

She stood and grabbed her own to-go box, brushing past me and heading for the door. I immediately felt guilty, and jogged after her.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, falling into step beside her.

"You should be sorry." She turned and grabbed the sleeve of my shirt, pulling me off into the doorway of a nearby store and out of the flow of traffic. "You can get pissed at whoever you want, but you don't get to take that out on me. Got it?"

I couldn't help the smile that started to form on my lips. Her "I-take-no-shit" attitude was one of the things I liked most about Bella. "Got it."

"I obviously don't expect you to offer me details that you aren't comfortable with, but you could certainly express that in a respectful way." Bella led me outside to the waiting Lincoln. We got in back and dropped our food onto the seat between us.

"I know, and I really am sorry. The last thing I want to do is shit on the mood, especially if you have something special planned for us."

"Thank you," she said, giving me a tiny smile.

I forced myself to return her smile, though it didn't take long for my thoughts to steer themselves in the wrong direction.

I felt like my world was turning upside down and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it.

Jasper was working with Jessica. Jessica fucking Stanley of all people.

To make matters worse, I had to find out through Bella, who had to hear it from Alice. My best friend couldn't even call me himself and set the record straight.

Before long he'd be going to company happy hours with Jessica. Then Alice would meet Jessica and they would become friends, and that meant Bella would probably end up meeting her too. _If she hasn't met her already,_ a taunting voice in the back of my mind chimed in. For all I knew Bella could have met Jessica while working on numerous projects with _GQ._

The over-active wheels of my imagination continued to spin until I was imagining having to spend guy's nights with Riley Biers.

Yes, the universe was definitely out of whack right now.

I sighed and rested my forehead against the Lincoln's window.

There were approximately five weeks left on the book tour.

That meant I had five weeks to get my shit together and figure out how to not to let this bother me when I returned to New York.

**-=-HC-=-**

Four hours later I was sick as a dog.

The only explanation I could come up with was that it was a classic example of karma in action.

"Are you feeling alright?" Bella stood across the room staring at me. She'd changed into a pair of skin-tight jeans and a Minnesota Wild hockey jersey. I wanted to appreciate how good she looked; how the denim hugged her hips and the way several sexy tendrils of hair had fallen loose from her ponytail.

I couldn't appreciate anything at the moment, however, because I was doubled over in pain on the edge of the bed.

"My stomach is killing me," I mumbled, wrapping my arms tightly around my midsection.

"Do you need to see a doctor?" Bella took a seat next to me and rubbed her hand in circles around my back.

I shook my head. "That's not necessary."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Watch out!" I jumped up and made a beeline for the bathroom, where I proceeded to empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet. I grabbed a washcloth off the edge of the sink and wiped my mouth, then stood and took a look at myself in the mirror. My skin was pasty white and covered with a thin layer of sweat. I turned the faucet on and splashed some cold water on my face.

Bella looked concerned when I emerged. "You look awful, Edward. You should probably lie down."

I toed off my sneakers and nodded in agreement. "This probably ruins your surprise," I said, peeling my jeans and t-shirt off and dropping them on the floor. I climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up around me. I was freezing despite the fact that my skin felt like it was on fire.

"Eh, we can watch the game here instead." Bella scooted across the bed until her back was flush with the headboard. She grabbed the TV remote and flipped it to one of the sports networks, then threw a sideways glance at me. "I should probably go find a thermometer and some Sprite or something. You really don't look good."

"You don't have to go anywhere," I protested. I'd always been somewhat of a mama's boy when it came to illness. I hated being alone when I was sick, and nine times out of ten I'd end up at my parent's house, vegetating on their couch and letting Esme cook for me.

Bella stood and slipped her feet into her boots. "There's a supermarket less than a mile from here. I won't be gone long." She was out the door before I could whine any more.

I rolled over and closed my eyes. I was half tempted to call Jasper and apologize, but I didn't know if I should do it so soon. At the end of the day, he was right when he said I had a good thing with Bella. There was no reason for me to even think about Jessica, and truth be told she hadn't crossed my mind more than once or twice since the New Years party.

There was also no reason for me to be upset by the fact that my best friend would be working in the same office as her. Yes, they'd see each other, and they may even engage in a civilized conversation once in a while, but when it came down to it that didn't matter.

I was the one who had the bad history with Jess, not Jasper. Besides, it wasn't like he was signing up to become _her_ best friend or anything.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how angry I was with myself. My own hard headedness was now causing my closest friends to withhold information from me. Not to mention the knowledge of my obsessive thoughts would probably piss Bella off royally. Here I was trying so hard to prove that I could be a different man, and the entire time my mind was wrapped around all this hostility toward a woman I hadn't seen in almost ten years.

I climbed out of bed and retrieved my cell phone. Once I was settled back under the covers, I started to dial Jasper's number. Just then the door latch clicked and Bella walked in carrying several bags.

"That was quick." I dropped my phone and propped myself up on my elbows, watching as she emptied a plastic bag on the bed.

"I told you it wasn't far away." Bella picked up a thermometer and ripped the packaging off of it. "I got you some Pepto and a few cans of soup, plus some crackers and ginger ale. It's not much, but it's what my Grandma Swan used to give me when I got a stomach bug, and it always worked like a charm."

I cracked a weak smile. "You're a sweetheart."

She shrugged. "It's nothing really. Now, open up." Bella eased the thermometer beneath my tongue and watched me carefully until it beeped. She grabbed it and wiped it with a tissue before reading the digital number. "Well, your temperature is only 99.5, so I think it's safe to say you only have a minor stomach bug."

"You're not going to make me call you Dr. Bella from here on out are you?" I joked. She rolled her eyes and set to work microwaving me some soup.

"Well, now that you mentioned it…" She removed the coffee mug the soup was in from the microwave and placed it on the nightstand next to me, along with a can of ginger ale and a handful of crackers.

"I should know better than to vocalize these thoughts," I mumbled, dipping a cracker in the soup. I glanced over at Bella, getting my first good look at the back of her jersey. "CULLEN" was printed across the back in big cream-colored letters above the number seven. "You had a jersey custom made for tonight? That's hot as fucking hell."

Bella plopped down on the bed next to me and shook her head. "I don't mean to burst your bubble, but this is an authentic jersey. There's nothing custom about it."

"Aww shucks." I snapped my fingers and pouted. "Here I thought I was special."

"You are special," she said, reaching over and pinching my nose. "In that cocky, Wall Street kinda way."

I sat up and grabbed my soup. "I'm glad you haven't forgotten just how arrogant I am."

"Could I ever?" she teased.

"Thank you for the soup, by the way."

"Anytime." Bella grabbed the remote and turned up the TV volume. The Wild game was just starting, and the excitement was rolling off my girlfriend in waves.

"What caused you to become such a hockey enthusiast?"

"My college boyfriend." Her voice contained no hurt or anger. I took that as a sign that I could proceed with the conversation.

"Did he play?"

Bella shook her head. "No, but he was from Wisconsin and pretty much worshipped the Chicago Blackhawks. I can't even remember the number of nights we spent in various bars or at his place watching games."

"How long were you together?"

She stared up at the ceiling and thought for a moment. "Almost three years." She turned to face me and smiled. "Just to save time on this round of twenty questions - no it did not end badly and yes we still talk occasionally. He lives in Ohio with his wife and two kids now."

_Too bad we can't all have that kind of luck with past relationships._

I was still curious. "What about post-college boyfriends? Were there many of those?"

"Just one. Well, two if you count yourself." Bella's gaze went back to the TV.

"Can I ask what happened?"

She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. "There's really not much to tell. He was a musician, and had all the charm and good looks anyone could ask for. Things seemed perfect, everyone was convinced we'd end up hitched, and then it all fell apart. He moved to Chicago, I chose to stay in Manhattan, and the door slammed shut on that chapter of my life."

My stomach churned. I couldn't imagine doing anything to deliberately hurt Bella, even though the intention had been there when Jasper and I first struck up the bet. "I'm sorry."

Bella turned to face me again and rested her cheek against her knees. "There's no need to be sorry. Life moves forward, people change, and relationships evolve. Not everyone is meant to stick around forever."

I kept my eyes locked on hers, wondering what other secrets and stories were hiding behind them. When meeting her gaze became too uncomfortable I looked away and brought my hands up to rest between my head and the headboard. "How long ago did he move away?"

"He left a little over two years ago," Bella answered.

"Were you together for a long time?"

Bella shrugged. "Ben and I were together for three years. Just like Seth and I."

"In other words, when we cross the thirty-six month threshold I should start to worry." My joke was met with a punch to the shoulder.

"Really funny, ass." Buzzers went off on the TV, indicating the Wild had scored a goal. A second and third buzzer followed close behind the first one.

I saw this as the perfect opportunity for me to change the subject. "I think your boys just scored a goal."

"A goal? A GOAL? They just scored three of them in less than a minute!" Bella jumped off the bed and twirled around, clapping her hands and cheering excitedly. I wasn't feeling well at all, but just watching her made my blood pressure rise a few notches.

"If I wasn't afraid of expelling my soup all over that jersey, I'd get up and give you a hug."

"Please, spare me and we'll pretend you did the happy hockey dance alongside me." Bella crossed the room and pulled a six pack of beer out of one of her shopping bags. "Did I mention there is also a liquor store within walking distance?"

"Hey, who's going to babysit my ass if you get drunk?"

"You're not dying, Cullen, and I'm fairly certain you haven't required a babysitter for at least two decades." She tipped the beer back and drained half of it in one gulp.

"Let's hope you're right about that." I slid back under the covers and rested my head on the pillow.

"Is the TV too loud? I can turn it down."

"No, no, no." I shook my head and rolled onto my side. "I could sleep through an earthquake if necessary. I'm sorry I had to ruin the evening though."

Bella squeezed my shoulder gently. "You didn't ruin anything, Cullen. You do, however, owe me a drunken night filled with hockey at some point in this relationship."

I laughed. "I think I can manage that."

A buzzer went off again and Bella shouted at the TV. "C'mon Harding! You're supposed to block the fucking puck!"

I smiled and pulled the covers up around my chin.

My dreams that night consisted of Bella playing hockey in nothing but her Cullen Wild jersey.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

When I emerged from the shower on Sunday evening, I was positive I'd stepped into the wrong hotel room.

All of the lights were off, but Edward had placed Mike's scented candles around the room, leaving everything illuminated in a soft orange glow. Jazz music was playing quietly from the bedside radio, and the bottles of massage oil I'd dreaded seeing a few weeks earlier were sitting on the nightstand.

"Like what you see," Edward asked. He was seated on the edge of the bed, stripped down to only his boxer briefs.

I nodded and took a deep breath, hugging the towel I wore tighter around me. "What is all of this? You're supposed to be sick."

"I'm feeling much better today and you deserve a night of pampering." He stood and opened his arms. I willed my feet to move, one in front of the other until his arms closed around me and pulled my body flush against his. He lowered his head and brushed his lips chastely against my cheek. His breath was hot and heavy on my skin when he spoke. "This is my way of saying 'I'm sorry' for acting like an ass at lunch yesterday. You've been nothing but amazing to me, Bella, and I want you to know that."

I leaned back and looked into his eyes. The words I wanted to say danced across my tongue and on to my lips. I wasn't into fairytales like Alice. I knew there was no such thing as the "perfect time" to profess your feelings to someone. The atmosphere around us – the candles, the music, the look in Edward's eyes and the feel of his skin on mine – made the moment seem perfect, however.

I opened my mouth to tell him how I felt, but Edward covered my lips with his index finger and whispered, "Shhh." He backed away from me and tugged on the edge of my towel until it fell to the floor. Edward motioned for me to get on the bed. Without any words I climbed on, laying down on my stomach and resting my cheek against the soft, plush pillow.

Edward slid his hand under the pillow and produced a silk blindfold. My eyes grew wide and he smiled in amusement. "It will heighten your senses," he explained, brushing my hair away from my face and slipping the fabric beneath my head. He tied it loosely and backed away.

The temporary loss of sight was a new experience for me, and I didn't know what to make of it. Part of me wanted to reach up and tear the blindfold away from my eyes, while another part of me was aroused by the simple gesture. I decided to go with the flow of things, trusting that Edward wouldn't try to do anything too insane when he had me in a vulnerable position.

I felt the bed shift and then Edward was straddling me. Warm droplets of oil fell onto my skin, followed closely by Edward's fingertips. "I'm no masseuse, but I think I can safely say I know how to get a woman to relax."

The pads of his fingers kneaded my flesh, and within minutes my limbs felt like jell-o. I sighed deeply, letting all the tension and what little stress I felt wash away with my breath. My eyelids began to droop, and I fought against the sleepiness that threatened to overtake me.

"Is that too hard?" He slowed his massage and leaned forward, pressing his lips against the back of my neck. I let out a low moan and opened one eye to look at him.

"It's perfect," I whispered. _Just like everything else about this moment._

"Good." Edward's hands moved from my back to my knees, pulling my legs apart far enough for him to kneel between them. He grabbed the massage oil and drizzled it on my thighs and calves, and then began another slow round of kneading.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. Goosebumps decorated the skin on my neck and shoulders, and I shivered beneath his touch. After paying thorough attention to every visible inch of my skin, Edward stood up and tapped my shoulder gently.

"Turn over," he instructed. I did as he asked, letting my body sink into the soft sheets.

"Am I allowed to take this off yet?" I asked, tugging at the edge of the blindfold.

The bed dipped and then Edward was straddling me once more. I could feel his arousal straining against the thin fabric barrier that separated us, and I reached out to tug off his boxer briefs. He grabbed my wrists and raised my hands above my head, pressing them against the pillow gently. "No taking off your blindfold and no touching me. This experience is entirely about you."

I giggled when the warm oil splashed across my breasts. "I don't see how teasing me like this qualifies as pampering."

He laughed – a low, throaty laugh that melted my insides. "You haven't seen anything yet, Bella."

I sucked in a breath when his fingers found my nipples. He drew circles around the swollen pink peaks, rubbing the oil in before capturing them between his thumb and forefinger. I didn't try to hide the moan that came out, and his continued pinching and rolling was proof enough that he didn't want me to.

"Mmm." My back arched on its own accord.

He scooted down between my knees once more, focusing his attention on my stomach and then my calves. When his hands reached my thighs, I wasn't sure I could take anymore.

"You have to stop teasing me," I blurted out. Edward just laughed.

"To quote you, Ms. Swan, 'patience is a virtue.' And this isn't about teasing you, it's about _pleasing_ you. Those are two very different concepts."

"There you go rhyming again." I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes, forgetting that he couldn't see them. "Fuck patience."

He let out an exasperated sigh and shifted so his torso hovered above me. "If you insist…"

"Oh, I do insist. And when Bella Swan insists, you know I mean business."

He let out another throaty chuckle and trailed his hands up my thighs. I squirmed and groaned, and he gripped my legs in return, pushing me down against the mattress.

"You can't say I didn't try to prolong this…" Edward's voice trailed off and his fingers brushed against my sensitive skin, pressing harder when they met my swollen nub. I let out a soft cry and reached up to remove the blindfold. This time he didn't stop me.

"I wish you could see how beautiful you are when you come undone," he whispered, slipping one finger inside of me. I arched my hips up toward him and bit my lower lip.

He reached his free hand out and gently tugged the skin from between my teeth, dragging his thumb across my mouth before leaning down and pressing his against it. My hands found his hair and I pulled him closer to me. He slipped another finger in and began moving them at a steady pace. His thumb circled my clit, and I squeezed my eyes shut when I felt the first familiar pulls of an orgasm start to stir in my stomach.

"Please," I whimpered when our kiss broke. He rested his forehead against mine and smirked.

"Please what?" he teased.

"You know what," I breathed.

"This is the best part though," he argued, moving his lead lower and capturing one of my nipples between his lips. His tongue drew lazy circles around it and he dragged his teeth over it before releasing it. "The build up before the release, and seeing how your body responds to my touch. Every cry, every moan, every drop of sweat and arch of your back. This is how you deserve to be worshiped, Bella."

His words were like gasoline on the proverbial fire that already burned strong somewhere inside of me. The flames danced in my stomach, moving up through my chest and into my throat. Instead of a cry of pleasure, they carried the three words I was still struggling to say.

"Edward, I-" His lips silenced me.

"No more words Bella. Let me worship you." He kissed me chastely before placing his lips on the tender area between my breasts. I watched as he painted a trail of kisses over my stomach and past my navel. My breath caught in my throat when his lips hovered over the area I wanted him to kiss so desperately.

"Say the words, Bella. Say the words and I'll keep going."

Somehow I managed to get them out. "Worship me, Edward."

His lips met my wet skin and I arched off the bed once again. He slid his tongue between my folds, moving it in tempo with his fingers, tasting my arousal and pushing me closer to the edge.

"Yes," I cried. I propped myself up on my elbows, watching the beautiful man before me do things that practically made me forget my name. His tongue circled my clit one, two, three times, and then he leaned back and blew his warm breath on me. I fisted the sheets in my hand and squirmed beneath him, causing him to chuckle. He nipped at my sensitive nub, dragging his teeth across it lightly.

"I know you're close," he mumbled against my skin. "I can feel how close you are. Come undone for me, Bella. Give in and come undone."

I tried to hold out, but when he curled his fingers upward and rubbed them against the sensitive spot inside me, I was gone.

I closed my eyes and tipped my head back, calling out his name and watching as white sparks ignited behind my eyelids. He grabbed my waist and held me in place while the room continued to explode around me. When I finally started to come down, he slid his fingers out and stretched out on the bed next to me, draping his arm across my stomach and planting a soft kiss on my neck.

"That was quite the surprise treat," I whispered, turning and looking at him through hooded eyes. He smiled and tilted his chin up, pressing his lips against mine softly. Our tongues began a slow, familiar dance, and I instantly melted in his arms. I pulled back and rubbed my nose against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, pulling me closer to him and resting his head against my chest. I ran my fingers through his soft, messy hair and closed my eyes.

Sleep welcomed me quickly, but not before I had the chance to see the expression on Edward's face. His eyes were closed, the corners of his lips were slightly curled up, and he looked genuinely happy.

It was a moment I engraved in my memory, never wanting to forget.

**-=-HC-=-**

At three o'clock I woke with a start. Edward stirred behind me and tucked his chin closer to the top of my head.

I carefully moved his arm aside and rolled over until I faced him. His eyelids fluttered, and for a moment I was afraid I'd woken him, but then he rolled over on his back and his steady sleep-induced breathing resumed.

I propped myself up on one elbow and allowed my eyes to roam over his body. There was a small scar on the left side of his stomach that I'd never noticed before. I reached out and ran my finger over it, wondering what the story behind the blemish was.

There was so much more I wanted to know about Edward, and I hoped that our time together on this book tour could help me unlock some of the doors that we had yet to open.

I curled into his side and wrapped my arm around his chest, sighing with contentment.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered, even though he couldn't hear me.

Someday he would hear me.

Hopefully that someday would be soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started a Facebook group to post random stuff related to my stories. And of course I enjoy picspamming everyone in there with Rob too. ;) If you're my friend on Facebook (I'm over there under Blu Eyed Cherry), send me a message and I can add you to the group if you're interested.
> 
> Until next time...
> 
> xoxo


	20. We Need to Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings from Omaha! :) The computer I was going to use to update this last night crashed, but today is a new day, and success will be had.
> 
> Just a little note - the next chapter is already written, BUT I'm going to hold it hostage until I finish the one after it (which is about 3/4 complete). I REALLY, REALLY want to get on a regular update schedule so people aren't left wondering when the hell I'm going to post. SO, to do that, I want to get ahead a chapter or two and then for the remainder of the story it will be that much easier for me to stay on top of things and give you guys chapters on a fixed schedule.
> 
> Chloe Masen, I adore you. You light up my world on a daily basis.
> 
> Surprisingly, I'm out of words for now. Lol.
> 
> Chapter Song: All Apologies by Nirvana
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Emmett's POV**

The light was on in Rosalie's window, but she still wasn't answering any of my calls. I'd spent the previous twenty minutes pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, debating whether I should just give up and go home or see if her doorman would let me in the building.

When yet another call went unanswered, I decided the later option was the best.

"Good evening, Mr. Hale."

I mentally crossed my fingers. "Good evening. I'm here to see Ms. Smith."

"She didn't tell me she was expecting anyone."

"Well, um…" I knew she wouldn't answer if he phoned up to her apartment, but I didn't have the energy to come up with some embellished story to tell the doorman either. "Look, I haven't been able to get in touch with her for several days and I'm worried. She doesn't know I'm here, I was hoping this could be a surprise, and I really would appreciate any help you can give me."

He narrowed his eyes and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I never do this for _anyone_ , Emmett, so don't think it's going to be a routine thing." He used his access card to open the door and gestured for me to enter.

I raised my hand to give him a fist bump, but he simply stared at me like I was a foreign creature. I smiled my thanks instead and made a beeline across the lobby.

The elevator ride did nothing to calm my nerves. The last time I saw my girlfriend was the morning we were supposed to leave to see my parents. Rose had told me that she wasn't feeling well and she didn't want to risk getting anyone else sick if she had something serious. I tried to persuade her to come with me anyway, telling her we could return to the city that night if she still didn't feel well, but she insisted on holing herself up and told me to have a good time and apologize to my parents for her absence.

That was four days ago and I had yet to get Rose to leave her apartment, or let me come over. Getting her to answer her phone was like pulling teeth, and when she texted me back the replies were short and unrevealing. As much as I wanted to believe she was simply ill, I couldn't help but think there was something else wrong that she hadn't shared.

I stepped off the elevator and glanced down her hall. My nerves got the best of me as I neared her door, and I almost turned around, but I took a deep breath and stopped myself.

I could hear the television playing inside, so I knew that she was home. I raised my hand and knocked hard three times.

"Just a minute," she called. From the sound of her voice, Rosalie wasn't sick at all.

The door opened and there she stood looking healthy as can be. _She's expecting someone? You've got to be kidding me._

"Emmett! What are you doing here?" The color drained from her face and she stood on her toes and peered around me. "Are you alone?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and cocked my head to the side, wondering what the best way to approach this situation was. "I should be asking you that question."

She frowned. "Of course I'm alone! Who the hell would be in here with me?"

This was not off to a good start.

"I don't know, but you certainly looked like you were expecting someone else when you opened the door."

She rolled her eyes and smirked. "I am expecting someone – the Chinese delivery man, to be exact. I'm not sure about you, but I don't usually order a side of booty call with my lo mein."

"Can I come inside?" I felt silly asking, but since I had no idea what the hell was going on I thought it best.

Rose stared at me for some time, and then her features softened. "Of course you can." She stepped aside and I made my way around her. I didn't even get a chance to remove my shoes when her tears started to fall.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling her against me. She rested her head on my shoulder and fisted my t-shirt in her hands. I wrapped my arms tighter around her, which only seemed to strengthen the sobs.

"Everything," she cried, leaning back and looking up at me. I brushed her hair away from her face and swiped my thumb across the tears that dampened her cheek.

"Let's sit down and talk about it," I offered. She nodded and grabbed my hand, following me through her kitchen and to the living room. I took a seat on the sofa and she followed suit, crossing her legs Indian-style beneath her and facing me. I took a deep breath and forged ahead. "I've been worried about you, Rose. You haven't been returning my calls and your texts have been so cryptic."

"I know and I'm sorry." She looked down at her hands and started fidgeting with her bracelet. "I haven't been myself lately, and as a result I haven't felt like spending time with anyone. I should have told you that, but I didn't know how."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" I reached out and tucked my thumb beneath her chin, lifting her face until our eyes met. "I'm always here for you, no matter what. Never forget that, okay?"

She nodded and grabbed my wrist with both hands. Her eyes filled with tears once more and she sucked in a choppy breath. "I'm pregnant."

There was no way I heard her correctly. "What?"

She dropped my wrist and pushed my hand away. "I'm pregnant, Emmett. Knocked up, housing a bun in my oven, whatever the hell you want to call it." The tears were falling freely once more and she wiped at them furiously.

"Well, this is … unexpected."

"Unexpected? You're telling me!" I wasn't sure if she realized it, but Rose was rubbing small circles over her stomach. The gesture caused the corners of my mouth to lift in a smile.

"When did you find this out?"

"I took three tests last Thursday at Alice's apartment."

"You've known since last Thursday and you never said anything?" A strange mixture of emotions whirled around in my stomach. "Is this why you didn't want to go up to Maine?"

Rose nodded and wiped her cheek with the sleeve of her shirt. "I'm sorry I lied about being sick. Although it wasn't entirely a lie; I've been heaving my guts out every morning for the past few weeks."

I scooted closer to her and rested my hands on her knees, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Why didn't you tell me? You certainly didn't have to go through this all alone for the past four days."

"I was terrified to tell you, Emmett." She stood and ran her fingers through her hair, looking everywhere in the room but at me. "Neither one of us wants kids. We're young, we're successful, our careers are launching – where in that equation do you see a variable for a baby?"

"Not all things that happen to us fit perfectly in life's equation." I stood and moved toward her, grabbing her shoulders gently and looking in her eyes. "Do I feel like I'm ready for a baby? Hell no. Are we in the best place in our relationship to add another member to it? Probably not, but we'll never know unless we give it a chance, right?"

Her eyes grew wide and brimmed with a fresh set of tears. I ran my fingertips over the shell of her ear and down her neck. Goosebumps peppered her skin and she dropped her forehead down so it was resting against my chest. "How are you not angry right now?"

"Rose, Rose, Rose," I mumbled, pressing my lips to the top of her head softly. "How many months have we been together?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

I chuckled. "How many months?"

"Three."

"And in three months time have I ever gotten angry?"

She looked up at me and cracked a small smile. "No."

"So why would I start by getting mad now?"

"Because, this is a big fucking deal!" She slumped fully against me and I wrapped my arms tightly around her. "It's not like we're disagreeing over what movie to rent or what restaurant to go to, Em. This is a huge, life-changing event! And what if things don't work out between us? What the fuck do we do then?"

I took a deep breath. "But what if they do work out? What if this ends up being the best thing that happens to us?"

Even I had trouble believing my optimism.

"So you want to keep it?" She backed away from me and dropped back down on the couch.

"I think we should," I said slowly. "I think we should try and see this as a good thing, and continue to work on us and grow together. And whatever happens will happen, but at least we'll always know we did the best we could."

She stared at me in silence, taking in everything I said. A dozen different emotions flickered over her face before she finally smirked. "Okay. But, I do have one condition."

"What's that?"

"I am _not_ marrying you anytime soon, Hale." She stood once more and pressed her palms against my chest, fisting my shirt and pulling me to her.

I laughed. "Don't worry, I wasn't planning on asking."

"Not that I would _never_ marry you," she continued. "I just don't want to be one of those cliché couples who runs to the alter just because a baby comes along."

"Rosalie Smith, have we ever been a cliché couple?" I brushed my nose against hers and stuck my tongue out.

"Not at all."

"And with the arrival of whoever you have growing in here," I rubbed her belly appreciatively, "we're about to become an even more un-cliché couple."

Tears sprang forward once more, and Rose stood on her toes until our lips met softly. I ran my fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head with my hand and pulling her closer to me.

I couldn't get enough of this woman. She had full ownership of my heart, and had since shortly after I first laid eyes on her.

The idea that together we had created new life terrified me. But, at the same time, it brought this overwhelming sense of joy with it as well.

Things between us might not go exactly as we both planned – and hoped - but to me, that didn't matter.

Somehow, I just knew everything would be okay.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

I had just gotten in the car when my cell phone rang. Edward's name was flashing on the screen, and I almost didn't answer. I didn't think he'd call unless it was to apologize, however, so I reluctantly pressed the accept button.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jas." Yep, this was definitely an apology call. The tone of his voice said it all.

"What's up?"

There was a long pause followed by a sigh. "I'm sorry I was such a dick on Saturday." I waited for him to continue. "I'll admit I was taken aback by the news, but that's no excuse for me to act the way I did. When it comes down to it, you're right; I have an amazing thing going with Bella and Jessica shouldn't even be on my mind."

"Apology accepted," I finally said. "And thank God. I was beginning to think you'd never see what's been right in front of you for the past three months."

"I'm sure you aren't the only one," Edward chuckled. "When do you start this new job?"

"Next Monday. I only gave _The Journal_ a week's notice, so I'm not the most popular guy over there right now."

"I bet Aro is freaking the fuck out right about now. He's actually going to have to do his job now instead of pawning everything off on you."

I laughed. "Hopefully there isn't another Aro waiting for me at _GQ_."

"Well, if I don't talk to you before Monday, good luck man!" Edward's smile was audible. "I'd chat longer, but Charlie is taking me fishing."

"Charlie? Fishing?"

"Bella's dad," he explained. "We got to Seattle yesterday and I guess it's steelhead season or something."

It was taking every ounce of my self-control to avoid laughing. "Who are you and what have you done with Edward Cullen?"

"Shut up!" He lowered his voice. "This guy used to be a cop. Did you know that? I'll do whatever it takes to stay in his good graces. Plus it makes Bella happy, and that's what's important, you know?"

"You, my friend, are getting whipped with a capital W."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You say that like you already aren't."

"Oh, I'm more than willing to own up to that. In fact, I'd put it on a billboard in the middle of Times Square if you asked me to."

"You better watch out. I'll hold you to that when I get back to the city." Edward mumbled something to someone in the background. "I gotta go. We're cool, right?"

"Yeah, man, we're cool."

_Until he finds out whom you're going to dinner with._

"Let me know how the job goes."

"Absolutely. Good luck fishing! Make sure someone has a camera for this experience," I teased. Edward laughed and we said our goodbyes before hanging up.

I started my car and began the stop-and-go drive to Queens. I didn't spend much time in this borough, but it was where Jessica and Riley lived, and given her situation it seemed like the best option for dinner.

When I stopped in at _GQ_ on Monday, Jessica just happened to be waiting to catch the elevator. As much as I didn't want to admit it, she seemed to have had a significant influence on my getting hired, and so I invited her out for a thank you meal.

I didn't tell anyone – especially Edward – about my plans for the evening. I had no intention of spending any other time with this woman or her husband. All I wanted was a nice way to show my gratitude, and this seemed like a decent option.

I pulled to a stop in front of a row of brownstones and hopped out. Jess had the door open and her coat on before I even made it to the front steps.

"Jasper!" She descended the stairs, holding the railing and walking slowly and carefully. When she was close enough, I opened my arms and gave her a warm hug.

"You're glowing," I told her, taking in her figure. I didn't know much about pregnancy, but I guessed she was seven or eight months along.

"Aw, thank you. Riley tells me the same thing every morning."

We got in my Jeep and I followed her directions to a small deli several blocks from her home.

"How have you been?" she asked me once we were seated.

"Staying busy, as always." I sipped my coffee and met her eyes. "It feels like there's this never ending string of obligations that I have to tend to. Every time I think life might be quieting down, something new crops up and I'm swept away in the chaos again."

"And you thought working at _GQ_ would help that?" she laughed.

I chuckled. "No, no I can't say I thought it would help. I do think it will be a good experience though."

The waiter dropped off our food and we both dug in. Several bites and one embarrassingly large belch on my behalf later, Jessica put down her fork and took a deep breath. "Does Edward know about the job yet?"

"Oh yes." I rolled my eyes when I thought about my best friend's reaction to the news. "My girlfriend spilled the beans to his girlfriend, who then spilled them to him."

"Edward has a girlfriend?"

I nodded and finished chewing my food before answering. "He's dating his publicist, Bella Swan. You can't tell me you haven't seen the shit on Page Six?"

"Oh, I saw it, I just didn't believe it."

"He's good to her." I smiled as I said the words. "And she's good for him. She doesn't take any of his shit and she isn't afraid to put him in his place. Which, as we both know, is exactly what he needs in a woman."

"He still texts me, you know."

"What?"

"Let me rephrase that – he _was_ still texting me." She picked up her napkin and began to tear it in to tiny pieces. "I think the last one was probably back in November. They were never scandalous or anything like that. Sometimes he'd ask how I was, other times he'd propose meeting for a meal. I rarely replied, and when I did I reminded him about Riley."

"Did Riley ever know about the texts?"

She shook her head. "No, I didn't dare tell him. He still has beef over the stunt Edward pulled at my graduation."

"Well, I can't exactly say I blame him."

The corners of her mouth curled up in amusement. "So, who's this girlfriend of yours?"

"Her name is Alice, and she's actually Bella's business partner."

"What a small world! Did you meet her before Edward met Bella, or…?"

"Actually, I met her through Edward. He had just started working with Bella and we ended up bumping into their crowd at the bar one night." Okay, so we didn't _bump_ into them, exactly. But Jessica didn't need to know it was planned.

"Talk about a small world!" Jessica sipped her water. "How long have you two been together?"

"We started dating back in October, so … three months?"

"Do you love her?"

I knew I was blushing. "Would I sound like a complete loser if I said yes?"

"Absolutely not!" Jess reached across the table and squeezed my fingers. "When you love someone – and I mean _really_ love them – you just know. There's no time limit on things like that."

I looked across the table into her hazel-colored eyes, and for the first time all evening I felt completely awkward. I hadn't even told Edward I was in love with Alice yet, and here I was telling his ex-lover. I had come to be cordial to her, not to catch her up on the details of my love life. _Time for a subject change_ , I thought.

"Enough about me," I said, pulling my hand back and resting it in my lap. "When are you due?"

"March 28," she answered with a grin. "And as much as I love the whole 'miracle of life' thing, the end of these next eight weeks couldn't come soon enough."

"I can only imagine. This is your first child?"

"Yes. Riley wants like five of them, but I'm putting my foot down after two."

We continued our discussion on family size for several more minutes before flipping over to a more neutral topic – _GQ_. Jess gave me the scoop on the other editors, told me who I needed to watch out for and who I should form close ties with, and even tipped me in on a few of the more popular sports story ideas the editor-in-chief had brought up in the most recent editor meeting. The farther we veered from personal topics, the more comfortable I was with the situation, and before long two hours had passed.

"How is it seven-thirty already?" Jessica looked up at me with wide eyes. "Riley is probably wondering what's taking so long."

"You told him we were doing this?"

"Of course." She stood and slipped on her coat. "I don't keep secrets from him. Didn't you tell Alice?"

"Well, no, not exactly." I ran my fingers through my hair and smiled sheepishly. "She doesn't know the whole story with you and Edward and all that."

"You should still tell her," Jessica scolded, leading me outside to where I had parked. When we were both buckled in, I began the short trip back to her house.

"Thanks again for the recommendation."

"No problem." She unbuckled her belt and turned to face me when we came to a stop. "I always liked you, Jasper. I have no doubt you'll be a great addition to our team."

"I'm crossing my fingers that you're right." I got out and went around to open her door, helping her out of the Jeep and onto the sidewalk. She smiled and squeezed my arm.

"If it ever becomes appropriate, tell Edward I said hello. Things might not have worked for us, but I've never wanted him to be anything less than happy."

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." I watched as she trotted up the walk. The front door opened and Riley appeared, holding it for his wife and waving at me. I returned the wave and pulled the keys from my pocket.

Any anxiety I felt about working at the magazine had disappeared. It was clear that Jessica held no grudges, and that she was perfectly capable of remaining professional and polite.

I smiled to myself as I started the Jeep.

Thirty-two was just around the corner, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I was completely optimistic about my own future.

I had a new job to look forward to.

I had a great group of friends and a comfortable lifestyle in one of the greatest cities around.

Best of all, I had an amazing woman by my side and a trip to Paris to look forward to this spring.

Everything was ebbing and flowing perfectly.

I pulled away from the curb, starting my journey home.

2012 was going to be a great year for everyone.

I could just feel it.

* * *

**Rose's POV**

I dialed Alice's number five different times before finally hitting the send button and putting the call through.

It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to my best friend. In truth, I'd wanted to talk to her all week, but my stubborn nature kept me from calling. Now that things were out in the open with Emmett, I knew I owed Alice an apology. I just hoped she was willing to listen after the horrible things I'd said to her.

"It took you long enough, don't you think?" I heaved a sigh of relief when I heard Alice's tone. I could already tell all was forgiven, and I hadn't even said what I wanted to.

"I could hang up and wait a few more days to call you," I joked. Alice clicked her tongue.

"Absolutely not! I have been worried sick about you for the past week!"

"I know, and I'm so sorry." My face flushed with embarrassment. "I was a complete bitch to you and all you were doing was trying to be supportive."

"No, you were a complete Smith to me. If I didn't know any better I'd think you borrowed a page right out of your sister's book."

I chuckled. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Alice laughed. "You know I can't stay mad at you. You and Bella are the other half of my heart."

"Honestly Alice, I was freaking out and had no idea what to do." I squeezed my eyes shut. "I didn't mean to brush you off or blow up like that. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You _weren't_ thinking. Which is perfectly understandable, although I wish you would have stuck around long enough to see Jasper discover three positive pregnancy tests in my kitchen trash."

"Oh my God!" I was mortified. "I take it he knows then?"

"Well I certainly didn't tell him _I_ was pregnant!"

"Make sure to thank him for not spilling the beans to Emmett."

"Consider it done."

I prefaced my next sentence with a long pause. "God, Alice. I can't even keep my own shit together." I let out a long breath and ran my fingers through my hair. "What the hell kind of mother am I going to be?"

"An amazing one." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because, that's who you are. When it comes to things – and people – that you care about, you've never let yourself be anything less than amazing."

"Emmett said the same thing."

"When did you tell him?"

"I spent all weekend avoiding him. He finally showed up on my doorstep yesterday," I explained.

"And?"

"He thinks we should keep it and see how things go."

"No moving in together and having a shotgun wedding?"

"Hello no!" I cringed at the thought. "I made it very clear that I will _not_ marry a man because of a pregnancy."

"I'm glad," Alice said sincerely. "I would rather see things work out for the two of you than have them fall apart prematurely."

"Me too, Al. Me too."

I heard mumbled voices in the background and Alice whispered to someone. "I don't mean to cut this short, but I have to go. Bianca has a concert tonight and the Whitlocks just arrived."

"Melding families already? That's a big step!"

"Go big or go home, right?" Alice teased. "Call you tomorrow?"

"I love you, Ali."

"I love you too, bitch."

I laughed as we said our goodbyes. I didn't bother to put the phone down; there was still one more call I needed to make.

"Rose!" Bella exclaimed. "We must be on the same wavelength today. Renee and I were just talking about you."

_Think of all the talking they'll be doing after this call ends._

"Tell her I send my love."

"Hang on a sec." The noise in the background grew softer and then I heard a door open and close. "If I don't go out on the porch she doesn't stop talking."

"It's nice to hear that some things never change," I joked.

"Tell me about it. So, how are you? I haven't heard from you in over a week!"

"I know, things have been a bit chaotic." I contemplated making some small talk, but decided to just cut right to the chase. "I need to tell you something."

Her response was immediate. "Did Emmett pop the question?"

_If only it were that simple._

"No, no, nothing like that." I took a deep breath and crossed my fingers. "I'm pregnant."

My announcement was greeted with silence.

"Hello…?"

"I'm here, I'm here." I could picture her pacing back and forth on the front porch. "Shit, Rose. You're going to be a mother! When did you find out?"

"A week ago." I immediately felt guilty. In all the time I'd known Bella, I'd never kept a secret from her. "I would have told you sooner, but I was having some difficulty digesting it."

"Oh sweetie, something like that is yours to announce and nobody else's." She paused, letting out a sigh. "Did you talk to Emmett about it?"

"Yeah, we talked yesterday."

"I'm guessing everything went okay…?"

I nodded, knowing full well Bella couldn't see me. "Surprisingly, yes. We're keeping it, and we're going to stay together."

"And you're sure this is what you want?" She hesitated, as if she wasn't sure whether or not to continue. "I'm not questioning your judgment or anything, I'm just making sure you're going with a decision that will make you happy too."

"A week ago I would have told you I wasn't sure," I said honestly. "Now, after thinking about it, and after talking things over with Emmett, I think this is the best thing to do."

"Wow. Just, wow."

The tears I'd managed to hold in all day brimmed my eyes and spilled over on my cheeks. "I wish you were here," I whispered.

"I would be on a plane tomorrow if you asked."

"No! No, no, no!" I wiped my cheeks and sniffled. "You have a job to do and a boyfriend to travel with."

"He would understand, Rose."

As much as I missed her, I was too prideful to ever ask Bella to come home for me. "I appreciate the offer – and his understanding – but no. Just don't be surprised if you get a few late night hormonal freak out calls in the next couple of weeks."

"Call and freak out all you need."

"Bella!" Renee was back. "Can you help me start dinner?"

She grunted in disgust. "I'm being summoned. Remind me again why I thought it would be fun for Edward and I to spend a few days in Forks?"

I laughed. "Because you want your parents to adore him as much as you do?"

"And adore they do."

"Bella!"

"Go help your mom! And tell her I send my love!"

"Promise you'll call if you need anything? Even if it is the middle of the night."

"I promise," I said with a smile. "Love you Bell."

"Love you too, Rose. Give Ali a hug for me."

I dropped down on the couch and let out a big sigh of relief.

Everyone I wanted to know about my pregnancy now knew about it.

No, I hadn't told my family, but that would come in time – and when Emmett was ready to be there to announce it with me.

I looked down at my stomach and rested my hand on the top of my shirt. "We can do this, kiddo. Everything will be okay."

Hopefully I was right.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much action from our two favorites, but the next chapter belongs entirely to them. :)
> 
> Pregnancy is out in the open, fences are mended, smooth sailing ... for now. Who knows what will happen when our lovebirds return to Manhattan. Hehe.
> 
> Come play on Facebook - facebook.com/blueeyedcherry 
> 
> Come play on Twitter too - @rpexaminer 
> 
> A little note of thanks as well: Endless Night is nominated for an Emerging Swan award in the supernatural category. I know I don't update that often at all, but it's my baby, the first fic I ever unleashed, and it still means a lot to me. Head on over there and check out the nominees! .com
> 
> Until next time...
> 
> xoxo


	21. Seattle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey! Thanks to all who are still here and welcome to those who are visiting for the first time. I hope you're enjoying the ride!
> 
> Reviews = love, so please feel free to share your thoughts. I cherish them all.
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> Chapter Song: New Tricks by Great Northern
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> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

My rule of thumb for Washington Sate: never expect to see the sunlight. Expectations like this often leave one disappointed.

I gave Edward this little piece of advice while we were on the flight from Minneapolis.

It amazed me that in all his years of traveling, he'd never managed to make it to the Pacific Northwest. I thought for sure his family had some connection there or his work had given him some reason to travel there, but just before we got on the plane he told me that this was his first time going.

"It's so … green." Edward was busy gawking out the window as we prepared to land. I chuckled and squeezed his forearm.

"You're quite observant," I joked. He punched my shoulder playfully and messed my hair with his long fingers.

"This is what happens when I'm forced into exhaustion." Edward and I had flown out of Minnesota three days earlier than planned so I could spend a few days in Forks with my parents. The drive from Seattle was a good three hours, so I'd booked us on an early morning flight. As it turned out, Edward wasn't an early morning person - at least not while traveling.

"Would some breakfast make it any easier to fit into your big boy pants?" My snide comment was met with another playful punch and a longer noogie.

Once we landed, we collected our bags and hit the rental car counter. I stopped at McDonalds for Edward and then we were off.

"So, what do I need to know about Charlie and Renee?" Edward asked through a mouth full of fast food breakfast. We'd only been "official" for just under a month, but I'd already met Carlisle and Esme, and I didn't want to leave him sitting in a hotel room in Seattle for three days while I took off to Forks. So, along with seeing Washington for the first time, Edward was also going to meet my parents.

I may have forgot to tell him the part about my mom practically begging me to bring my new boyfriend home to meet her and Charlie.

I thought for a moment and shrugged. "My dad loves sports and my mom will probably sit and drool over you. As long as you can handle those two things, you should be good to go."

He chuckled. "Should I have bought your mom a bib while we were at the airport?"

"I'm not sure they make a 'my daughter brought her fuckhot boyfriend home to meet me and all I got was this lousy bib' bib."

"You forgot to include 'arrogant, intelligent, successful, pseudo-celebrity' in your description."

"What do you expect? I work in PR for gods sake – my job is to make people look good."

Edward rolled his eyes and turned the car's heat up a notch. "Honestly, is there anything you need to warn me about? I've never dated a woman whose dad worked in law enforcement."

"Have you ever dated a woman period?" The question came out sounding rude, which was not what I intended.

Edward shifted uncomfortably and turned to look out the window. "Believe it or not, yes I have."

I rested my hand on his thigh and sighed. _Way to put a damper on things, Bella._ "I'm sorry. That came out wrong." I chewed on my lip, thinking of what to say. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He sat in uncomfortable silence before fixing his green eyes on me. "It's not important."

I resisted the urge to tell him that it _was_ important, knowing full well that when the time was right we would have that discussion. "I didn't exactly date much in high school and I haven't been back a whole lot since I left," I explained. "I'm willing to bet Charlie will put you through the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition, but he's more like a giant teddy bear these days than a big bad cop.

"Renee loves to talk, especially about herself. As long as you remember to throw in a compliment here and there, you'll do just fine with her."

"Why don't you like coming home?" Edward asked, effectively changing the topic.

I shrugged. "Too much time in Forks causes me to feel like seventeen-year-old Bella again. I don't like to feel that way."

"What was so bad about seventeen-year-old Bella?"

" _I_ didn't think there was anything bad about me." I tried to think of how to tell him more without sounding like I was throwing myself a pity party. "People around me saw things differently, however – especially my mother."

"Excuse me for saying, but your mother had to be completely blind and dumb as a rock to think that there was anything bad about you."

"Well, in roughly two hours you'll have the opportunity to tell her that yourself!"

Edward laughed and shook his head. "No, no, no. I prefer to stay out the way when it comes to mother-daughter brawls. I'm sure Charlie could see my reasoning for that one."

"Oh, I'm sure he could. He got sucked in the middle of our fights on more than one occasion." I could still remember the exact expression on my dad's face every time my mother and I started bickering.

"So compliments and a bib? I guess that's not too much for me to remember," Edward joked.

"I hope not. If so, I don't know how you lasted in finance all these years."

Edward reached across the center console and pinched my elbow playfully. Having him along for the ride was nice, and it ended up making the three-hour commute go by much quicker than I expected.

After we were checked into our room at the local bed and breakfast, Edward and I headed for my parent's house. The closer we got, the more nervous Edward seemed to get. Tiny drops of sweat beaded his forehead and he wouldn't stop bouncing his leg.

Charlie and Renee lived in a small two-bedroom house on a sparsely populated road. There were two other houses on the block, both newer and larger than the one I grew up in. My mom tried to convince Charlie to add on to the house a zillion different times, but he never caved. He always said he loved the homey feel of the place, and didn't want to fall in line with the rest of the neighborhood.

"This is it," I said as I pulled the rental to a stop in the driveway. Edward leaned forward and glanced out the windshield. I could tell he was biting his tongue by the expression on his face. "I know, the place is small. You don't have to be afraid to say it."

"No, that's not at all what I was thinking." His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and he quickly unbuckled his belt. "It looks very … comfortable. I imagine it was a treat to grow up in."

His words made me smile. "It wasn't exactly a treat, but it wasn't terrible either. Of course these gargantuan split-levels weren't around when I was younger, so I didn't have much to be jealous of at the time."

"And would you be jealous now?"

"Probably not." I shrugged. "I've never been drawn to the whole 'life of luxury' thing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy living comfortably, and I do that now, but I've never desired to be one of the ones who has it all and still wants more. Does that even make sense?"

"As a person who spent the majority of his twenties trying to get it all and still wanting more, yes it does." Edward looked down at his hands and sighed. "It's a waste of time that could be spent appreciating what one has. You should be happy you always realized that."

"I am." I climbed out of the car and ascended the front steps, turning to face Edward when I reached the top. "Ready?"

He took a deep breath and grabbed my hand. "Ready as I'll ever be."

I squeezed his fingers and rang the bell. A moment later the door opened and Renee stood before us.

"There's my girl!" She pushed open the screen door and held her arms out. I let go of Edward's hand and gave my mom a big hug. As soon as I pulled away she was prepared to pounce on him. "And you must be Edward!"

Edward stuck his hand out for Renee to shake. Instead, my mom grabbed it and pulled him into a hug as well.

"We don't do formalities around here," Renee explained. "If my daughter can hug you, then I can certainly hug you."

"Ok, mom, that just sounded wrong." I closed my eyes and tried to shake away the image in my head.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Swan," Edward said politely. Renee rolled her eyes and gestured for the two of us to come inside.

"Didn't I just tell you we don't do formalities? Please, call me Renee."

"Where's dad?" I asked, surprised when I didn't see my father waiting for us in the entryway.

"Oh, he went over to the Clearwater's house to help fix the plumbing. He should be back in time for lunch."

I led Edward to the living room, where we sat down next to one another on the couch. I reached over and squeezed his knee gently before taking his hand in my own. Renee joined us a moment later, carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies and the teakettle.

"When did you turn into Suzy Homemaker?"

"I've always enjoyed baking. I just never had time to do much of it when I was running the firm."

"Renee used to own her own interior design firm," I explained to Edward. "It was based out of Port Angeles, but eventually it grew big enough to move to Seattle."

"And that was when I decided to hand the reigns over to someone else." My mom chuckled. "It was either drive six hours round trip every day or spend my weekdays in a hotel away from my husband. I chose Charlie."

"Who was your primary client base?" Edward asked.

"We started out with residential homes, but eventually we got a few commercial jobs and that was what caused the business to grow." Renee handed us each a cookie and took one for herself. "I never dreamed we'd have that kind of success in this part of the state. I guess it just goes to show how much people appreciate quality work."

"Someone must have gotten my wife talking about design." Charlie entered the room holding his coat in one hand and his tool belt in the other.

"Hey dad!" I stood and gave him a hug. I didn't hesitate with my introductions. Quick and painless was the best way to go. "This is my boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my father, Charlie Swan."

Edward stood and stuck his hand out. Charlie eyed him for a minute before giving it a firm shake. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Swan. Bella has told me so much about you."

"Likewise." Charlie furrowed his brow and eyed Edward again. "Have you ever seen that Robert De Niro movie, Edward? The one with Ben Stiller in it too."

" _Meet the Parents_ ," Renee offered. Edward nodded.

"Dad…" I sighed.

"Circle of trust, Edward. We have that same philosophy in this house. Don't break my trust and I won't have to break your neck."

Edward swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."

Charlie dropped his coat and tool belt on a nearby chair and rubbed his hands together. "Great! So, what's for lunch?"

Renee had made BLTs, which happened to be Charlie's favorite, and this coupled with a few beers seemed to effectively lighten his mood. Midway through the meal he had enough of his interrogation tactics and started questioning Edward about his hobbies. By the time we finished eating they were chatting like old friends.

"Do you like fishing, Edward?" Charlie leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach heartily.

"Well, in all honesty sir, I can't say I've done much fishing."

"It's Charlie, and we're going to have to change that, aren't we?" My dad stood up and headed for the front closet, where he started rummaging through things. "I know I have an extra pair of boots and some gear that would fit you in here. I think we need to have a man day tomorrow, Edward."

"What are we fishing for exactly?" Edward looked my direction, but I just shrugged and smiled. My dad didn't invite just anyone to fish with him, but I would tell Edward that later.

"Steelheads," Charlie answered, popping out of the closet with a pair of boots and a ridiculous looking hat. "'Come on over here, son. I want you try some of this stuff on."

Edward got up and wandered off to join him. I just looked at my mom and threw my hands up helplessly.

"He's a gem," Renee gushed. "You better hold on to this one, Bell. I have a good feeling about him."

I looked over at Edward and my dad and smiled once more.

My mom was right.

Edward was a keeper.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

By Thursday I needed a break from Bella's parents.

It wasn't that I disliked Charlie and Renee; that was far from the truth. But the only time Bella and I had to ourselves was the few hours before we fell asleep at night. As much as I enjoyed the … _activities_ we took part in during those hours, I really just wanted to spend some time with her.

As far as I could tell Port Angeles was the largest town within driving distance of Forks. So, while Bella was in the shower, I was online looking up things for us to do there.

"Have you ever been to a winery?" I asked when Bella emerged from the bathroom.

"Not since I was in Europe with the girls." She started rummaging through one of her suitcases. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm taking you out for the afternoon."

She looked over her shoulder at me. "But Renee-"

I held my hand up and shook my head. "No Renee, no Charlie. I would like to have one afternoon to spend with just you."

"Has this all been too much for you? I should have asked you before I assumed it would be okay to tack the extra time on to this portion of the trip."

"No, no, no." I watched as skepticism flashed in her eyes. "It's nothing like that at all."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you trying to be romantic, Edward?"

I had to be blushing. "Perhaps. Well, as romantic as one can get in Port Angeles."

Bella pulled her outfit on and tugged off the turban-style towel that wrapped her hair. She grabbed her makeup bag and headed back to the bathroom. "So, a winery? Did you have anything else in mind?"

I smiled and let myself relax. Though I was still trying to figure this woman out, I knew that she would be happy with anything I planned for the two of us. "Since it's the middle of January, I think a movie is a suitable option."

"Go on."

"I would follow that up with dinner at a cozy restaurant – preferably one with cheesy candlelight and romantic background music."

Bella laughed and poked head around the door. "I can think of about three places that fit your criteria."

"Perfect!" I closed my laptop and stretched my arms over my head. "You know you don't need to wear makeup, right?"

"Oh, please," she said, stepping into the room and placing a hand on her hip. "You can't possibly tell me you would have picked me out of that crowd at the Guggenheim had I not let Alice do my makeup that night."

I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. What I can tell you is that I noticed you because you were different, not because you had your 'face' on, or whatever women call it these days. You didn't seem like the rest of the women there."

Bella bit her lower lip, and I could tell she was doing so to avoid smiling. Chagrin crept up her neck and over her chin, settling itself in her cheeks. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good. That's exactly what it is."

"Don't tell Alice I did this." Bella scooted back into the bathroom long enough to ditch her makeup brush and turn out the light. I smiled and grabbed our coats.

"My lips are sealed. Consider it our dirty little Washington secret."

As it turns out, I wasn't so great when it came to planning romantic activities. The winery had weird winter hours, and it was closed when we got there. We ended up spending some time visiting shops in the small downtown area of Port Angeles before heading off to catch the movie.

I was happy when Bella elected to see the new Mark Wahlberg film versus the chick flick options. I was also happy when she let me pick the restaurant for dinner.

I opened my menu and scanned the list of steaks and seafood. "What's good here?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

"Have you ever eaten here before?"

"In Port Angeles, yes. At this particular restaurant, no."

I chuckled. "Leave it to me to make assumptions. I guess I figured living in a town as small as Forks would drive you to try every place Port Angeles had to offer."

"Believe it or not, I didn't spend too much time around here when I was younger. I was a homebody for the most part."

"A homebody?" I paused when the waitress came to take our orders. "I thought you didn't get along with your mother when you were younger?"

Bella shook her head and fiddled with the straw in her drink. "It's not that we didn't get along, per say. We just had very different ideas on who I should be."

"Am I pushing too far if I ask you to explain?"

She sighed. "My mom thought I should spend my time with the 'in' crowd of kids. She wanted a girly, athletic, popular daughter who was destined to be crowned prom queen."

"You are girly," I pointed out.

"Yeah, thanks to lots of hard work on Rose's part." Bella sipped her mineral water and laughed quietly. "Anyway, what my mom got was a daughter who was more interested in reading a good book than trying out for the cheerleading squad. And my friends – they weren't popular at all. They were far from it. We were a bunch of stoner kids who spent too much time out at the beach and stayed as far away from extra curricular activities as possible."

I didn't catch my jaw in time to stop it from falling open. "A beach bum stoner kid who got accepted to Harvard?"

"Just because I liked to have fun didn't mean I let my studies slide." The waitress dropped our food off and we both dug in. Bella ate a few bites of her salmon before continuing. "I always kept my grades up. They were my ticket out of Forks."

"I'm willing to bet that accounts for part of the homebody thing?"

She smiled. "That and the whole having a father who works in law enforcement thing. He wasn't too keen on letting me go romping around the western portion of the state."

"Please tell me he at least let you go on dates?"

An unidentifiable emotion crossed Bella's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "That, dear Cullen, will have to wait for another time."

I could tell my question had upset her. I immediately felt bad for being so nosy. "Fair enough. I promise I'm done with the twenty questions bit – for now." I smiled at her and speared a slice of my steak. We ate our food in silence, exchanging glances across the table every now and then.

Bella didn't have a horror story to share about her childhood, but I knew it wasn't something that she liked discussing openly. She'd worked long and hard to get out of Forks, and the last thing I wanted to do was dredge up memories of a time that she wanted to forget.

I thought back to the conversation we had on our drive out. Bella knew I'd had a serious girlfriend at some point, but she knew nothing about her or about our situation. I'd eventually have to tell her. My last relationship had left me so jaded that I never wanted to even consider getting into another one. One-night stands were much easier and left little to no room for heartbreak – at least not on my end.

Casual sex was just that – casual. There were no strings attached, no emotions invested, and when I woke up alone the following morning I didn't have to spend an hour asking myself if I'd done or said something wrong the night before. Before Bella came along, I could easily envision myself living out the bachelor lifestyle until I was old and grey. Now, three short months later, the thought of going back to that lifestyle made me cringe.

No, that wasn't what caused me to cringe; the thought of not having Bella in my life in some form was what made me cringe. I'd just put her through the ringer, so perhaps it was time for me to put my neck out there and share a piece of my past as well.

I sighed and set down my fork. _There's no time like the present._ "Jessica."

"Jessica who?"

I pulled my eyes away from the tabletop and looked up at Bella. "When we were driving to Forks you asked me if I'd ever dated anyone before. Her name is Jessica Stanley-Biers and I was with her for three and a half years."

"You don't have to tell me any of this if you don't want to." Bella reached across the table and took my hand in hers, giving it a gentle yet supportive squeeze. "I know this isn't an easy topic for you and I know that I'm not entitled to any information."

I shook my head. "I need to tell you this. You just shared some obviously uncomfortable information with me. And besides, you deserve an explanation in regards to why I am the way I am. " I took a deep breath, swallowed my anxiety, and began sharing a story that I hadn't shared with anyone but my closest friends and family. "I met Jessica at the tail end of my freshman year of college. We literally bumped into one another in the subway station, and one thing ended up leading to another. I wasn't looking for a girlfriend at the time, but by the end of the first night she spent hanging out with Em, Jas, and me, I knew that was the spot in my life I wanted her to fill. We were official within a few weeks, and by the end of my sophomore year we were ironing out the details for her to move into the apartment I shared with Jasper.

"Things weren't always perfect. We had our ups and downs just like any other couple, but I loved her – so much it hurt at times. I wasn't the only one either. My friends and family adored her just as much as I did. She was a beautiful person, inside and out, with this big heart and a determination that up until then I'd never seen in a person. Eventually we moved into our own apartment, and it didn't take long for me to realize this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

"I proposed during the middle of my senior year. We didn't start any of the wedding planning business right away, because we both wanted to wait until we graduated and had jobs before we made it a priority. She was a year behind me in school, so that gave us a good two years before we even had to think about the wedding. Things were going so well between us, and I was the happiest I'd ever been. Right before graduation I found out I was up for a competitive internship at JP Morgan Chase, and that I'd been accepted to Columbia's MBA program. Looking back on it now, I probably should have known then that the shit was going to hit the fan. Life was throwing nothing but good things in my direction, which usually indicated that storm clouds were up ahead. I didn't think anything of it though. I was riding on this incredible high and I didn't think I'd ever come down. "

I pulled my hand away from Bella's and took a big gulp of my water. I stared into the glass, watching the ice cubes float around and bounce off one another. When I looked back up at her, I saw nothing but support in Bella's eyes. That alone gave me the strength to continue.

"A week after graduation things started to head south. I still hadn't heard anything from JP and they weren't returning my calls, which led me to believe I didn't get the internship. I was sulking around the apartment one afternoon when Jess called me and asked me to meet her at the coffee shop around the corner. It sounded like she had something serious to tell me, but her tone was so excited that I didn't think anything of it. When I got there, I didn't even have time to order my drink before she told me she got selected for an art internship in Paris.

"I was in complete shock. She never told me she applied for any internships, let alone any that were out of the country. I didn't know what to say, so I plastered a big smile on my face and played the role of the happy boyfriend. Jess told me the internship would extend throughout her entire senior year, and that she'd finish her studies at a university in France before returning to NYU for graduation. After she started explaining more, it sounded like an amazing experience. Then she dropped the bomb; she had two days to make her decision and, if she accepted, she would leave for France the following week.

"I'm not one to stand in the way of anyone accomplishing their dreams, and that's what I told her. It didn't seem like a huge dilemma to me, because we could visit one another during the holidays, and it's not like we had anything on the books for the wedding. Jess didn't see it that way, however, and got pretty upset when I pointed it out to her. Then she confessed she wanted me to go to Paris with her. "

"But you had plans to go to Columbia," Bella whispered. I nodded and took another deep breath.

"Columbia was a huge accomplishment for me. I didn't want to give it up. But I loved Jess and I would do anything to make her happy. So, I spoke with one of the admissions directors at Columbia about the possibility of starting in the fall of 2003 instead of 2002. It seemed doable, so I went ahead and told Jess that I'd go to Paris with her, and she went ahead and accepted the internship. That was on a Friday afternoon. The following Monday I got a call from JP letting me know I'd been selected to intern and that I would start the next week.

"I couldn't turn them down. The internship had the potential to lead to a paid position, and it would inevitably open some important doors for me in the finance world. I called the admissions director at Columbia and told him to halt his process, that I was going to start in the fall as planned, and then it was my turn to call Jess and ask her to meet me at the coffee shop. She was upset at first since I'd already planned on going with her, but after we talked for a while she calmed down. She was leaving for Paris at the end of the week and neither one of us wanted our last few days together to be on bad terms. We agreed to daily internet chats and weekly phone calls, and I picked a week in July and a week in August when I would fly to Paris to be with her. The day she got on the plane to leave, everything was still fine.

"JP liked me a lot. I was definitely the favorite of the intern group, and as a result I was putting in ridiculous hours and doing some small-scale traveling with some of the senior finance guys. Sometimes I would go out for drinks with guys from the office, forgetting all about my nightly chat promise. When July rolled around I couldn't get away from the internship to go to Paris. That marked the beginning of the end for Jess and I. She was willing to let the first trip slide, but when it came time for the second trip and I still couldn't get time to go, she got pretty furious. I can't say I blame her, because who the hell would want to hang on to a fiancée that was an ocean away and couldn't even keep a promise to talk via the fucking internet after work?

"My courses at Columbia started soon after that, and our chats dwindled down to once a week, if we were lucky. Our schedules just didn't match up, especially with the time difference. I made a conscious effort to plan a trip to Paris for Thanksgiving, but Jess just didn't seem enthusiastic about it. Most of the time when we talked she was upset for one reason or another, and that would cause me to become upset, and then we'd argue. I couldn't remember the last time we ended a conversation with an 'I love you.'

"A week before I was scheduled to fly out I got a package in the mail from Paris. Inside I found a letter and Jess's engagement ring. According to her, if five months apart was causing us turmoil, we probably wouldn't be able to last an entire lifetime together."

"I'm so sorry, Edward." Bella reached out to take my hand again, but I kept my fingers firmly clasped together.

"I was devastated. I called her and tried to change her mind, but she was firmly grounded in her decision. It was something she'd been thinking about for a while at that point, and nothing I said changed her thinking. After I had time to digest what was happening, I was ridiculously angry, which led to a series of belligerent, drunken phone calls in the middle of the night. After the fifth one Jess changed her number. That left me with no choice but to acknowledge everything I'd done wrong and come to terms with the fact that we really were over.

"Jasper and Emmett were my lifelines during the first few months after the breakup. They forced me to go out and do things, to take a spring break trip, and essentially kept me sane. By mid-May I was feeling a lot better. I'd come to terms with things and I was finally at a point where I thought I might be ready to try dating again. Then NYU graduation rolled around and Jess returned to the city … with her new fiancée, Riley Biers."

"The guy from New Years?"

I nodded. "That's him. I had gone to commencement with the guys because Emmett's girlfriend was graduating. I knew I would end up seeing Jess, because Lauren was her best friend and Emmett wanted to get pictures after the ceremony. I steeled myself for the inevitable awkwardness that comes with seeing a former lover for the first time after breaking up. You can imagine my surprise when I saw her with another man and a big rock on her finger.

"I tried to be nice, but I just couldn't do it. It felt like she was rubbing her happiness in my face. I thought it was bullshit that I'd spent the previous six months in emotional hell while she was out canoodling with some other guy, and falling in love so quickly that she was already engaged. I flipped out, punched Riley in the face, called her a whore, and essentially ruined her graduation. I tried to apologize through Lauren a few weeks later, but it was too late. That was the last time I saw Jess, and the last time I saw Riley, up until our run-in at the party."

Bella's eyes were filled with sadness. "Jessica Stanley-Biers is the art director at GQ."

"Yep," I said with a nod. "Now you know why I've never consented to an interview with them – and why I was so angry when I found out Jasper was going to work there."

"And all the women since Jessica? Have any of them meant anything to you?"

I looked down at the table. "No." When I looked back up, the hurt was visible on Bella's face. I took a deep breath and finished my thought. "Except for you."

We sat in silence again while the waitress cashed out our check. When we finally stood up to leave, Bella came around the table and wrapped her arms around me.

"Nobody deserves to hurt like that, Edward," she whispered in my ear. I pulled her body against mine and inhaled her familiar and comfortable scent. "I wish I could do something to help erase that pain."

"You already have," I said softly.

Bella looked up at me with wide brown eyes. I smiled and pulled away from her, grabbing our coats and handing hers over. Once we were both ready, I took her hand in mine and led her outside to the car.

I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't have anything to hide anymore. Bella knew my story, and that was what mattered.

With any luck, all my words from dinner would finally set me free.

**-=- HC -=-**

Our ride back to the bed and breakfast was quiet for the most part. Bella held my hand in hers the entire way, staring off into the woods outside the window. I squeezed her fingers intermittently, and she would look over at me with trust painting her beautiful brown eyes.

I parked the car in front of the bed and breakfast and cut the engine. Bella followed me to our room, where I unlocked the door and stepped aside so she could enter. Moonlight streamed through the open curtains, illuminating the room in a subtle glow. Bella set her purse down on the edge of the bed and removed her coat. I closed the door gently and leaned against it, watching her with a combination of awe and appreciation. Up until now, I hadn't thought it was possible to feel so strongly for another in such a short period of time. Of course Bella Swan had already proven me wrong in so many other ways, it would only be natural for her to prove me wrong in this department as well.

She turned and smiled at me, cocking her head to the side and narrowing her eyes. "What? Do I have something stuck to my face?"

I shook my head and took several steps forward, closing the small gap between us. I reached out and brushed my fingers across her cheek before cupping her face in my hands. "Thank you."

She reached up and grabbed my wrists. "For what?"

"Waiting until I was ready to talk about Jess, and listening when I finally was."

Bella turned her eyes downward and smiled. "You don't have to thank me, Edward. It was your story to tell, at a time that was right for you. But, thank _you_ for sharing it with me. I really cherish that."

I closed my eyes and gulped back the nervous lump that had formed in my throat. I had so much on my mind, so much more I wanted to share with her, but in that moment, three small words with a big meaning behind them were ready to roll off my tongue.

_Say it, Cullen._

I opened my eyes and locked them with hers. Before I had the opportunity to over think things, I parted my lips and said the three words I never thought I'd hear myself utter to a woman again. "I love you."

Bella's eyes widened and she tightened her grip on my wrists. Fear colored her features, followed quickly by disbelief and then happiness. There was a story hiding behind her eyes as well, but I knew that I too would hear it when the time was right. For now, I just wanted – _needed_ – to know how she felt.

"I love you too, Edward."

Those five words sent my soul flying, leaving it suspended somewhere between the Evergreen-covered Earth and the stars that hung in the night sky. I pulled Bella to me and pressed my lips softly against hers.

We undressed one another between kisses, neither of us wanting to part with the other for too long. I pushed Bella gently down onto the bed and kneeled between her legs. I grabbed her hands in mine and rested them on either side of her head before lowering my lips to her neck and sliding slowly into her.

Soft cries fell from her lips and I mumbled her name. There was nothing fast, hard, or rough about this. It was a slow, sensual, and beautiful dance that our bodies embarked on together.

"Edward," she moaned, kissing my ear lobe and raising her hips to meet mine. I could feel her walls starting to clench around me. I let go of her hands and rose up on my knees, placing one palm flat against her stomach and pushing lightly.

"I'm so close, Bella. Please come with me," I whispered. Slow, deep thrusts became faster as I tried to hold out for as long as I could. Bella propped herself up on her elbows and fixed her eyes on the place where our bodies joined together.

"I love you," Bella breathed, bringing her eyes up to meet mine. That was all it took for me to find my own release.

"I love you," I whispered, falling forward and resting my forehead against hers. She ran her hands through my damp-with-sweat hair and pulled my head down to rest against her chest.

Forks may have arguably been the most boring town I'd ever been too, but in that moment, I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.


	22. New Year, New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame Johnny Depp and Tim Burton for the fact that I'm posting this a day late. Watching Dark Shadows with the bestie led to consuming too much ice cream after, which then led to my passing out and sleeping for twelve hours. Yikes!
> 
> Not too much to say actually. A little at the end though, so make sure to check that out!
> 
> Chapter Song: Everybody's Changing by Keane
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Everything else belongs to me.

**Mike's POV**

_**You, me, and an empty restaurant on Sunday at 10? I promise satisfaction. – L.** _

This was one of the reasons I loved dating Laurent. The man was good looking _and_ he could cook, which he did, for me, in his restaurant before it opened.

I took one last glance at myself in the mirror and made sure I had what I needed in my pocket. My usual Sunday morning calmness was gone, replaced by an electric excitement that put an extra bounce in my step. I wasn't sure if Laurent had anything special planned for our brunch, but I did and I was anxious to get it over with.

"Taxi!" I bellowed, stepping off the curb and waving both hands in the air. The gesture itself was ridiculous, as there were about a third as many people on the sidewalk as there were taxis in the road, but what could I say? The bounce in my step wasn't the only way I was showing my happiness that morning.

When my phone started ringing, I assumed it was Laurent checking if I was on my way. I didn't look at the caller ID before picking up. "I hope you aren't wearing anything under that skimpy apron of yours."

"The last I checked, I didn't own an apron and you didn't fancy lady parts."

I chuckled in embarrassment. "Don't worry, that whole aversion to lady parts is still in full swing. What's up Short Stop?"

"Rose is in Maine with Emmett and Jasper is off somewhere with his dad for the day," Alice explained. "That means you and I have a brunch date at Sarabeth's."

"As much as I'd love to indulge in a good old fashioned gossip session and some of their amazing porridge, I already have plans for the day."

"Go figure, the one morning I'm totally open is also the one morning that everyone else is busy!"

"Murphy's Law, dear child. I can do drinks tomorrow if your agenda permits."

My suggestion was greeted by a sound reminiscent of a farty kiss. "Fine, fine, fine, then I won't try to twist your arm about today. Give Laurent a hug for me."

"Oh, honey, I'll give him more than that," I said, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively, which earned a glance from the cabbie.

"That's my cue to go. Call me later!" Alice made another series of weird kissy sounds and clicked off the line. I shook my head and smiled, slipping my phone back in my coat pocket and fishing out some cash for the cab driver.

It was just cold enough outside to make me mentally kick myself for not wearing a scarf. I cupped my hands around my eyes and peered in the restaurant window. Everything up front was dark, but I could see light streaming out from under the door that led to the kitchen. I tapped on the glass with one finger, flushing when I saw Laurent emerge. Dark wash distressed jeans and a white wife beater with an unbuttoned black dress shirt looked even better on him than any skimpy apron would. I greeted him with a forceful kiss.

"To what do I owe that?" He locked the door behind us and looped his pinky in mine, leading me through the deserted dining area and into his culinary studio. I perched myself on one of the counters and watched as he busied himself with something on the stove.

"I'm just happy I get to see you today."

He shot me a sideways glance and clapped his free hand over my forehead. "Who are you and what have you done with my sassy boyfriend?"

I shrugged. "The raunchy and outspoken version of me is in here somewhere, don't worry."

"Thank fuck for that! I'm not sure I could handle it if you were all sunshine and roses and shit."

"What's on the menu this morning?" I grabbed a stray slice of mushroom and popped it in my mouth.

"Well, I thought we'd start with some bellinis and a traditional bruschetta, then move on to frittata with prosciutto, mushrooms, and scallions."

"Mmm, if you keep saying words like that I might want to take my clothes off."

He looked over his shoulder and winked, making a gesture like he was locking his lips and throwing away the key. I stretched my leg out and kicked his hip playfully.

"Keep talking, mister. Otherwise I will take my clothes off and then where will we be?"

"Well, _you'll_ be naked in my kitchen," he teased, earning another kick from me. "I guess I better not tell you what we're having for dessert."

I crossed my arms over my chest and mustered up my best pout. "You can't not tell me. That's my favorite part."

He laughed and strode across the kitchen, pulling out a large white pastry bag before returning to me. He grabbed my hand and flattened my palm, then squeezed a mound of something delicious looking onto one of my fingers. "Taste it and take a guess."

I brought my finger to my mouth and gave the dessert clue a taste, closing my lips and letting out a soft moan. "My god, Laurent, you certainly know the way to a man's heart."

"Correction – I know the way to _your_ heart, Michael Newton, and that is with my tiramisu." He grabbed a glass bowl and busied himself with assembling our dessert. I watched with the same intrigue I always had when Laurent was in the kitchen. Some people were good with numbers, others were good with people, but Laurent was a master with food.

He also had an amazing ass, which looked great bent over while he checked the contents of the oven.

"Do you want to eat upstairs?" Laurent's loft was strategically located directly above Bel Piatto. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and felt the small piece of steel resting there. Between the tiramisu and Laurent's disheveled appearance, I'd almost forgotten what I hoped would become the highlight of our morning.

"Upstairs is good."

"Grab the frittata and we'll head up!" I wasn't surprised to find the table set and the rest of our meal warming in the oven. My boyfriend officially knew me too well.

I located two champagne flutes and took my seat. "Everything looks amazing, as always."

His smile owned me. "Peach or raspberry?"

"Raspberry."

Ten minutes and two raspberry bellinis later we got down to business. "So, in all honesty, what's got you so uppity today? I don't think I've seen you this excited since Bella's announcement at the book release."

I cleared my throat and set my fork down. "Actually, there is something I wanted to discuss with you."

Laurent set his own fork down and stared expectantly at me. When I didn't respond, he narrowed his eyes. "Stop with the dramatic buildup! You're going to give me a coronary."

"I want you to have this," I blurted out, fishing in my pocket and slapping down a copy of my apartment key. His eyes moved back and forth between the key and my face several times before he unleashed a huge smile.

"You're giving me a key to your place?" I nodded. "That's, like, a huge deal! I've never exchanged keys with a boyfriend before."

"I haven't either," I admitted. "In fact, I'm not sure I've even technically had a boyfriend."

"Well you do now, and I will most certainly take this key and all the responsibilities that come with it!" He slid the key across the table so it sat next to his drink. "I think a trip to the hardware store is in order."

"What for?"

"To get you a copy of my key, silly! If we're doing then this we're going to do it right."

I couldn't stop the giddy squeal that left me.

"You're not going to hyperventilate, are you?" Laurent arched one eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. I shook my head and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, because I need you fully conscious for this next question. What does your work schedule look like next week?"

I closed my eyes and conjured up a mental image of my day planner. "I have some prep to do for an upcoming photo shoot, but nothing major. What's up?"

"My sister is getting induced on Wednesday and I want to be there when she has the baby. How do you feel about an extended weekend in Los Angeles?"

I already planned on saying yes, but when it dawned on me that Bella and Edward would also be in LA this week, my decision was set in stone. "Fuck yes! A mini-vacay is just what I need!"

"Once again, thank fuck because I already took the liberty of purchasing our tickets."

"What the hell would you have done if I said no?"

He shrugged and smirked. "Found another charming blonde gentleman to pretend he was you."

I leaned across the table and whacked his arm. "Good luck. New York may be flush with gay men, but you'll never find yourself another Mike Newton."

"You can say that again," he murmured, tossing his napkin on the table and standing. He was behind me in an instant, arms wrapped around my shoulders and lips brushing softly against my ear. "Just so you know, I'd never want to find another Mike Newton. I'm _more_ than happy with the one I've got."

"Mmm, that's a mighty good thing, because you're kind of stuck with the one you've got." I turned my head and pressed my lips against his, enjoying the familiar feeling of his kiss.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed that way, lips locked and arms intertwined in the middle of his kitchen.

What I did know was that I was in no hurry to disentangle myself or move my Sunday along.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

Monday mornings usually weren't my favorite. I always thought the weekend went by too quickly and was never prepared for the inevitable work-related disasters that Monday brought.

This week was different. I was starting a new job with a new company, and I was ridiculously excited to do so.

The elevator doors opened and I stepped out and looked around. A blue-eyed brunette greeted me at the front desk.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Jasper Whitlock, the new sports editor." I stuck my hand out and she shook it politely. "I was hoping you could point me in the direction of the editor's offices."

"Down the hall and to the left. Jessica is expecting you."

"Thanks," I said, giving her a smile and heading off in the direction she pointed to. I rounded the corner and was greeted by a large open space filled with modern looking desks, computers, and file cabinets. Trendy men and women milled around. Some were sipping Starbucks, some were pouring over storyboards and documents, and others were chatting animatedly with one another. Large offices with floor-to-ceiling glass windows lined two sides of the space, and I assumed those housed the editors.

"Jasper!" I turned to find Jessica standing next to me with a smile on her face. "Welcome to the _GQ_ family! We've got an editors meeting in ten minutes, so follow me to the conference room."

I trailed along behind her, returning smiles and fielding curious stares. I was the new kid in town again, only this time I was in a position of authority, which made the eyeballing easier to tolerate.

I took a seat next to Jessica at a large conference table and watched as the other editors seated themselves. A minute later an attractive blonde gentleman strode in, closing the door behind him and placing his things at the head of the table. I recognized him immediately as the magazine's editor-in-chief.

"Good morning and welcome to another week in the Big Apple!" He smiled and settled his eyes on me. "I'd like to start by introducing Jasper Whitlock, our new sports editor. He comes from _The Journal_ , which as you all know operates a bit different from us. I expect you'll make him feel welcome while he gets his bearings here."

The other editors went around and introduced themselves, accepting me into their media family right away.

"Thanks for the warm welcome. I look forward to working with all of you and learning the ropes here at _GQ_."

We spent the next hour brainstorming story ideas for the spring issues, discussing what and whom we wanted to see on the cover, and sharing concerns about the various staff. Jessica provided me with a list of the writers on my team, and informed me that she'd taken the liberty of scheduling a meeting for the sports writers and me that afternoon.

"This is your new home," she said, opening the door to one of the spacious glass-enclosed offices. I looked around, imagining the fun Alice would have if I dared unleash her to decorate.

"Thank you for everything," I said, stepping forward to give her a hug, but deciding against it. I wasn't sure if any of the staff were aware that we previously knew one another, and I didn't want to spark a gossip fire on my first day.

Jess pointed over her shoulder. "If you need anything I'm in the corner office." I watched as she walked – more like pregnant waddled – across the room. I took a seat behind my desk and turned on the computer. Once I had my email set up and a list of contacts assembled, I started flipping through old storyboards and article notes, hoping to familiarize myself with the style and format the magazine used.

My meeting with the writers went smoothly, as I expected. There was one I could foresee becoming a problem child, but with appropriate guidance and a reasonable set of expectations, he could easily turn out to be an excellent staff addition.

I couldn't wait to phone my girlfriend – and my dad – at the end of the day.

"How was it?" Alice bypassed a greeting and dove right in. I laughed, attempting to hail a cab without dropping the stuff I was carrying.

"It was so great! Everyone was welcoming, nobody seemed judgmental, and the other editors were incredibly helpful."

"That's so awesome, Jas! Does it feel like you made the right choice?"

"Absolutely," I said, not having to think twice. "It was time for a change, and this one just sort of fell in my lap. I'm sure it happened for a reason, as cliché as that may sound."

"What's your office like?" Leave it to Alice to get down to the important topics right away.

I laughed, remembering how her face was the first thing that had popped into my mind when I saw it. "It's big and bare and waiting for you to come fill it with an amazing decorating scheme."

She giggled. "I can't wait until I can see it! What's on your agenda for the evening?"

"Well, I need to call my dad and let him know everything went alright. Even after thirty years he still feels the need to worry about me like I'm ten."

"What about Edward?"

"What about him?"

"You're going to call him, right?"

Edward hadn't contacted me other than to apologize last week, which I saw as a good sign. I knew he was busy with Bella's parents, and if he didn't have time to get in touch, that meant things had to be going good. "Did he have Bella ask you to ask me to call him?"

"C'mon, Jas, we aren't sixteen." I didn't have to be in the same room as Alice to know she had an incredulous expression on her face. "I haven't talked to Bella this week, so no, she did not instruct me to have you call him. I just thought that since you've been best friends for, I don't know, thirty some years, it might be appropriate for you to share your good experiences with him."

"Don't worry, I'm just playing. I'll call him as soon as I'm done at the gym."

"And then you'll come over and see me, right?"

"Eh, I don't know if I can fit that in my terribly busy schedule," I teased.

"Huh. Well, I don't know if I can ever get naked again. You see I have this allergy to men named Jasper…" laughter replaced her words.

"Very funny, Short Stop." I knew she hated it when I used the nickname that Newton gave her.

"Come over at seven?"

"I'll be there." I hung up and rattled off the address for the gym.

I wasn't used to feeling so giddy, but I couldn't deny I had reason to.

I had an amazing girlfriend.

I had an amazing new job.

I lived in one of the most amazing cities on the globe.

What more could a thirty-one year old guy ask for?

* * *

**Rosalie's POV**

Four days in Maine passed quicker than I expected. When Thursday rolled around, I was a bit bummed by the fact that Emmett and I had to return to the city the next morning.

"Would you like a cup of coffee, Rose? You look exhausted." Jocelyn Hale was everything amazing wrapped up in one petite package. She baked pies for her church, taught painting classes in her spare time, volunteered at a local youth shelter, and somehow managed to find time to play golf in the summer and maintain the home she and Emmett's father, David, chose to retire in.

I admired the hell out of her. And secretly hoped that Emmett didn't expect me to live up to the over-the-moon standards his mother had inadvertently set.

"No, but thank you for the offer. I'm trying to cut back on my caffeine these days." Emmett and I agreed to wait to tell our parents about the pregnancy until after I passed out of the first trimester. Until then, I had to remember to be diligent in my reasoning for avoiding activities I'd ordinarily partake in.

"I hope Em doesn't mind that I'm stealing you for the afternoon." His mom caught my confused expression. "I'm taking you to the Downtown District. It's more entertaining in the summer, but there's some good shops we can visit, and a few different restaurants we can have lunch at."

"That sounds so fun!" I exclaimed, forcing myself to smile. It wasn't that I didn't want to spend an afternoon with Jocelyn; that was far from the truth. My morning sickness had kicked into high gear, and was now an all-day sickness. The last thing I wanted to do was run somewhere and ralph while we were trying to enjoy ourselves.

Fortunately Jocelyn didn't seem to notice that my enthusiasm was staged. "I'm going to grab our coats. Do you need anything else before we go?"

I shook my head. "Nope, I should be ready."

The drive downtown was short, and finding a place to park was relatively easy. As we meandered along the streets, Jocelyn pointed out different stores that she liked to frequent, and shared pieces of Portland's history with me. I was amazed by how much she knew, especially since she and David hadn't lived there for that many years.

As we walked, I ducked into some stores and purchased a few things for the girls. I found a tall shot glass that said 'Greetings from Portland' on the front for Bella, and a collector spoon with a lobster claw on the handle for Alice. Somewhere along the way we'd all started collecting silly items during our travels, and it became a habit that stuck with us. I was looking forward to seeing all of the trinkets Bella had from the book tour when she returned home in a few weeks.

"How do you feel about fresh seafood?" Jocelyn came to a stop in front of what looked to be half fish market and half restaurant. I smiled sadly and shook my head.

"As much as I love it, I'm just not in the mood for it today," I lied.

"That's no problem at all, sweetheart. There are plenty of other options on this strip." I followed her down the block and into a trendy looking eatery. We seated ourselves at a table next to the windows and put in our drink orders. Jocelyn opted for a rich merlot while I settled on a mineral water.

"I do believe you're the first girlfriend my son has had who doesn't partake in the stereotypical social cocktail hour at meals," she commented when the waitress returned with our drinks. I blushed and rattled off what I wanted for lunch, handing over my menu and focusing my attention on the small bubbles that fizzed around in my glass.

"I've been known to fancy a well-mixed martini, but I'm just not feeling it today," I lied once more. Jocelyn's eyes searched my face, and I immediately looked away. Even though I had a tough exterior, and a tendency to be catty at times, I still hated being dishonest, especially with someone as genuine and amazing as Emmett's mother.

"How far along are you?" Her question took me by surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"How far along are you?" She repeated, smiling and taking a sip of her wine.

"How far along am I with what?" I decided to play stupid for as long as I could hold out.

"You don't have to keep up a façade for me, Rose." Jocelyn reached across the table and squeezed my hand in hers. "I may only have one child myself, but my sisters had enough of their own for me to know what pregnancy looks like. No caffeine, no seafood, no liquor, frequent trips to the bathroom, and you're all but glowing. How far along are you?"

The rush of emotion that accompanied my answer surprised me. "Six weeks," I whispered, wiping away the tears that were now coursing down my cheeks.

"Have you told anyone else?"

I shook my head. "Only our close friends. We were going to wait to tell our parents until after the first trimester."

She picked up her napkin and dabbed my cheeks. "Do any of your girlfriends have kids?" I shook my head. "Then they can't possibly understand what you're going through. The hormones, the sickness, and the constant up and down changes in mood; it's a never ending battle, especially during those first twelve weeks."

I blew out a big breath and chuckled. "You haven no idea. Well, no, you _do_ have an idea, and you hit it directly on the head. It's like I've been transplanted into another body, and I have no control over what's going on or how I feel."

"It probably doesn't seem like it now, but it will get easier, I promise." Jocelyn took another sip of wine and smiled sympathetically. "I remember the beginning of my pregnancy with Emmett being absolutely miserable. Of course David would probably argue that the entire pregnancy was miserable, but for me, everything after that first twelve weeks was smooth sailing,"

Our food came, and we paused the conversation to enjoy a few bites of the meal. When I looked up and saw Jocelyn's expression, a fresh wave of tears spilled onto my cheeks. "How are you not filled with anger right now?"

"Oh, honey, why would I be angry?" She grabbed my hand once more, rubbing soft circles over my knuckles. "A baby is a wonderful addition to any family."

"But I'm not a part of your family," I argued, tearing my gaze away from her and focusing on one of the many blemishes that speckled our table. She reached up and cupped my chin gently, lifting my head until our eyes met once more.

"I know that you and Emmett haven't been together for very long, and you're not married or even engaged," she began, "but those things don't matter, at least not to me. This week has been such an eye opener, for both David and me. Emmett told us plenty about you before bringing you up, but seeing you with him has only proven what we already knew – you make him insanely happy. That alone is enough for me to consider you a part of this family."

The tears increased in strength and I let out an embarrassing hiccup. "What if I don't make him happy forever?"

Jocelyn shrugged and leaned back in her chair. "That's always a possibility, but honestly Rose, I know my son inside and out and he's found a keeper in you."

I sniffled, which gave way to a genuine smile. "Thank you. You don't know how much it means to hear that, especially coming from you."

Jocelyn returned my smile and we resumed our lunch. When we finally headed back to the Hale house a few hours later, we found Emmett and David lounging in the living room, watching ESPN classics and discussing an upcoming family reunion.

"I'll talk to David about everything later," his mom whispered in my ear, squeezing my hand and giving me a knowing wink.

"Our two favorite women have returned!" David stood and crossed the room, scooping Jocelyn up in a big hug and pressing his lips against her forehead. "Did you have a nice afternoon?"

"We were shopping, David, do you even have to ask?" Jocelyn joked.

Emmett rolled his eyes and stood, stuffing his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and giving me a sheepish grin. "Is downtown Portland still standing?"

"Very funny, " I teased, reaching over and pinching his arm playfully. He pulled me in to a half hug and kept his hand resting on my hip.

"If you don't mind, I need to steal your mother for an hour or so." David wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, eliciting a groan from Emmett.

"Not for _that_ ," Jocelyn explained, swatting her husband's shoulder and rolling her eyes. "We help the Carters do their grocery shopping every Thursday. She's wheelchair bound and he has Alzheimer's."

Butterflies of awe fluttered in my stomach as I watched them leave.

"So, did you really have fun with my mom?" Emmett sunk down on the couch and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing my cheek softly.

"Of course I did. She's incredible." I pressed my palms flat against his cheeks and turned his head until he faced me. I caught his lips between mine in a kiss that started out soft but ended fiercely.

"Welcome to the Hale family," he whispered in my ear, moving his hand down and resting it on my abdomen.

Looking in his eyes, I immediately felt at ease.

According to Jocelyn, I was a perfect fit for the Hale family.

And, as I'd known since Monday, the Hale family was also a perfect fit for me.

* * *

**Renee's POV**

When Bella was in high school, I refused to have any part of cleaning her room. She was particular about her neatness for the most part, but when it got too scary I simply closed the door and pretended that area of the house was off limits.

Now, as I moved around the small space, putting things back in their place and gathering the sheets from the bed, I felt a twinge of sadness. As happy as I was for her and Edward, and as proud as I was of all she'd accomplished in New York, there would always be a small part of me that, like any mother, missed having my baby girl around.

I trudged downstairs to the basement armed with a basket full of linens and the outdoor wear Charlie had borrowed Edward. Once everything was loaded in the washer, I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and headed back upstairs to finish tidying things up.

I had just started vacuuming when I noticed the edge of a suitcase sticking out from beneath the bed. I flipped the Dirt Devil off and dropped to my knees, tugging the Louis Vuitton out from its hiding place. I frowned, reaching for the phone on the nightstand. I hadn't seen Bella carry this bag in the night before, and that was the only night she and Edward chose not to stay at the bed and breakfast. I wondered if she'd deposited the bag sometime earlier in the week and simply forgot about it.

I pulled back the zipper, allowing myself to give in to my nosy side. I'd never had the privilege of owning anything high end, and I wanted to give it a good inspection before I called Bella to let her know it was there. I flipped the suitcase open and immediately regretted the decision.

Skimpy lingerie littered the bag, topped with a few condoms and a rubbery purple device that was shaped like a cone. Even though the room was empty, my cheeks were flushed with a blush and I had to look over my shoulder to make sure there was no one watching. I picked up what looked like a bra and held it up, cocking my head to the side while trying to figure out exactly how the scrap of fabric would cover up my daughter's chest.

_That's the idea, Renee. Less is more when it comes to lingerie._

I dropped the bra and closed the bag hurriedly, pushing it back under the bed and standing up. Turning the vacuum on, I resumed my cleaning spree, trying not to let the images of what was in the bag appear in my mind.

There are some things a parent never needs to know about their child. The contents of that bag were one of them.

I resolved then that Bella could call me when she realized it was forgotten.

 _If_ she realized it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a whole lot in terms of action, but important events for all these kids none the less.
> 
> Honestly, I couldn't resist the end part when it came to me. I had to throw something funny in there.
> 
> The LA chapter (aka chapter 23) is going to be the last solo B&E chapter. There are still two other cities for the book tour after that, but I want to keep things moving along at a good pace here. There will also be one more chapter like this (chapter 24) with the secondary characters before everyone reunites in NYC once more.
> 
> I forgot on my last two updates, but THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you for helping this story hit 1,000 reviews! In all honesty, when I posted the first chapter of this, I never ever expected it would get to that mark, let alone breach it. I know I'm one of the worst when it comes to replying to reviews, but please, please, please know that I read every single one of them, and I am appreciative of them all! :)
> 
> I have no skills with posting web addresses on here, so if you wanna come play on Facebook I'm over there as Blu Eyed Cherry, and on twitter as rpexaminer.
> 
> See you in two weeks!
> 
> xoxo


	23. Los Angeles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! Well, in three days at least. :)
> 
> Yesterday was our annual Halloween bash, hence the reason this is being posted today. Too much beer = a very unhappy me on the morning after, so it took a while to get motivated to proof and post. It's here, however, and I hope you enjoy.
> 
> That's really about it. I'll probably give a little blurb at the end anyhow.
> 
> Chapter Song: Start of Something Good by Daughtry
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Places across the USA belong to their respective owners. The plot any ensuing chaos belong to me. :)

**Bella's POV**

I traditionally didn't pride myself on using my friends – or their connections – to gain access to events or places in the city. If I couldn't get a reservation somewhere or be added to a list then I didn't go. It was simple, and despite the fact that both Rose and Alice had been to many places that I had not, it never bothered me.

When Mike called to tell me he was going to be in LA for the weekend, I reluctantly agreed to make an exception to my rule. A friend of a friend of a friend of his had somehow managed to get him and Laurent on the list at Hyde, and with a little arm-twisting Edward and I were added to their party.

I took one final glance at my reflection and smiled. Black mini-dress, Loubitan heels, and just enough makeup to bring out my best features; as Rose would say, I looked like a fuckhot bitch.

"Damn, woman." Edward's arms wrapped around me from behind and he pressed his lips against my bare shoulder. "I'm not sure anyone else in the club deserves to see you like this."

"Could that be jealousy I hear?" I teased, turning and wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands slid down my back until they were resting on my ass.

"It's all jealousy, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"Well, I can assure you there's nothing to be jealous of. I believe we already established that I belong to you and only you."

"Mmmm say that again." His teeth nipped at my neck and earlobe, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake.

"Which part?"

"Whom do you belong to?" He slid his hands lower, cupping the back of my thighs and lifting me in the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist and giggled.

"Oh, I don't know, any number of people really. I mean, there's my clients, my family, my-" His lips slammed against mine, silencing me and sending a wave of arousal through me. I twisted my fingers in his hair, tugging at it and groaning when he sucked my lower lip between his teeth and bit it gently.

"Let's try that again, shall we? Whom do you belong to?" He walked forward, dropping me on the bed and kneeing my legs apart. I watched as his long fingers undid the tie he had on and tossed it to the floor.

"You." He pushed my dress up, hooking his thumbs in my panties and sliding them off.

"Do you have any idea how sexy it is to hear you say that?" I watched as he undid his zipper and freed himself, pumping his fist along his shaft two times and aligning our bodies. He slid into me with one hard thrust.

"Edward," I moaned, digging my fingers into his back and arching my hips up to meet his. He dropped his head down and rested it against my shoulder, moving hard and fast inside me. His fingers found my clit and he rubbed tight circles around it with his thumb.

"Fuck, you feel so good Bella," he mumbled. My body shuddered and my walls clenched around him as my orgasm took hold. I let out a wanton cry when he slammed his hips against mine and spilled inside me.

"Bella," he whispered, collapsing on top of me and pressing his lips firmly against my cheek. I ran my fingers through his now sweaty hair and tried to control my erratic breathing.

"That was…" my words were lost as his lips found mine. I melted into his kiss, whimpering when I felt him slide out of me.

"Incredible," he said, finishing my sentence and pushing himself up onto his knees. He tucked himself back in his pants, zipping them shut and reaching for his tie. I sat up and grabbed his hand.

"Skip the tie," I said. His brow furrowed in confusion, but he just shrugged and stood up.

"Whatever you say, beautiful. We should go or we're going to be late."

I stood and headed for the bathroom, freshening up and trying to tame my sex hair. After a few minutes I realized it was a lost cause and decided to let it be.

"Ready?" I asked, emerging from the bathroom and searching for my purse. Edward held it up and I smiled. We were like peanut butter and jelly lately, fitting together perfectly and jiving with one another.

"Always," he said, opening the door and gesturing for me to go ahead of him. We headed outside where a car was waiting.

Traffic in LA was insane. It took almost forty-five minutes for us to get to the club. When the driver finally came to a stop in front of the building, I said silent thanks for New York City and the subway system.

"Bell!" Mike rushed forward and engulfed me in a hug. Laurent wasn't far behind, and after they'd both said their greetings, Mike stepped back and looked me up and down.

"Jesus heaven on high, would you look at yourself? You're a fucking bombshell! That dress should be illegal and your skin is practically glowing!"

"That's what I told her back at the hotel," Edward said, nudging my shoulder playfully. "I don't think she's aware of the sexual prowess she has."

Mike tipped his head back and laughed. "She's plenty aware of it. She just chooses not to harness it. Well, until recently that is. From the looks of her right now, she's been harnessing it all over the country!"

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" I swatted Mike on the back of the head and pointed to the door. "I believe we have a club to go to, no?"

"Yes, we do." Laurent grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the entrance. He leaned over and whispered in my ear," If we don't get him inside now, Mike won't stop. He's been on a roll all day!"

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "God I've missed you guys."

Laurent led us to our table, which was bordered by a spacious brown leather half-moon booth. A bottle of Patron Silver and a bottle of Belvedere were chilling on ice, surrounded by a variety of mixers and glasses.

"Think we can all fit in here?" Edward joked, sliding in next to me and placing a hand on my thigh. I eyed the tequila greedily, looking forward to the inhibition that always came when I drank it.

"You should be eye fucking your boyfriend, Swan, not the Patron." Mike clicked his tongue and grabbed the bottle, opening it and pouring a generous amount into four glasses. "To get this party started right, I propose a toast."

"A toast to…?" Edward inquired, picking up his glass and swirling the clear liquid around.

"Baby girls, hot dresses, and lasting friendship." We all smiled and clinked our glasses together before tipping them back and taking the shots.

"How is your sister?" I asked Laurent.

"She's doing wonderful, as is the baby." He grinned from ear to ear and grabbed his phone from his pocket. He tapped the screen several times then turned it so I could see. A picture of an adorable baby girl filled the screen, and I couldn't stop my own smile from spreading across my face.

"She's beautiful, Laurent! What's her name?"

"Amelia Nichole Santori."

"She's seven pounds six ounces of cuteness for Laurent and I to spoil," Mike pitched in, grabbing his partner's hand and squeezing it affectionately.

"Mike must be in heaven," I said, winking at Laurent. "If I recall correctly, his mantra since I've known him is kids are amazing as long as I can give them back."

Laurent laughed. "That sounds like good old Newton here."

"Oh, hush. At least I'm responsible enough to know I would be a terrible parent, and therefore chose not to be one."

"Responsible indeed," I agreed, enjoying more Patron and glancing around. The club was full of pretty faces, most of which I guessed were important in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps I'd get a celebrity sighting on this trip after all.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to hit the men's room." Edward leaned over and kissed my cheek before sliding out of the booth and disappearing into the ever-expanding crowd.

"I've never seen you so happy, Bell!" Mike exclaimed, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. "Has it been like this throughout the trip?"

"I mean, it's been good the whole time, yeah, but ever since we said I love you-"

"You exchanged the big three words?" I thought Laurent was going to jump out of the booth. "When did it happen? Who said it first?"

"Hold up, hold up, hold up." I put my hands in the air and took a deep breath. "I've been away from the two of you for almost a month. I need to be eased back into this routine, please."

"When did it happen?" Mike asked, obviously eager for any piece of gossip he could get.

"When we were in Forks."

"Oh my god, did he say it in front of your parents?"

I shook my head. "No, we were alone at the bed and breakfast."

"So he said it first?" Laurent asked, more calmly this time.

"He said it first, I said it back, and now it's a regular part of our vocabulary."

Mike rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I _knew_ it! I knew you were smitten with him, and he with you! My god, I can't believe Alice and Rose aren't here for this. Have you told them yet?"

I shook my head. "No, you two are the first to hear it. Rose has so much going on herself right now, and Alice needs to be there for her."

"Always so selfless," Mike said with a click of his tongue. "This excitement is something that you deserve to share with everyone! I mean, just think, four months ago this man was out enjoying horizontal refreshments with half the women east of the Hudson! Now he's firmly attached to just one, and that one is you. I think that gives you some bragging rights."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the smile from playing on my lips. "Renee raised a modest girl, Newton. Bragging rights aside, I _am_ incredibly happy, and although this is all unexpected, it just feels right."

"Well then play your cards the way you want to, my dear." Laurent patted my knee and poured us another round of shots. We clinked our glasses once more and tipped the liquid back eagerly. I closed my eyes and sighed loving the carefree feeling that accompanied the alcohol.

When twenty minutes and two more shots had passed, I glanced over my shoulder to see if I could spot Edward anywhere in the crowd. My stomach dropped to my feet when my eyes found him. He was sitting on a stool at the bar engrossed in a conversation with a beautiful raven-haired woman. She had her hand on his knee and her head was tipped back in laughter. I watched in silence, waiting for him to look over at us, but he never did. What was probably seconds felt like minutes, and before I realized what was happening he leaned forward and slung his arm over her shoulders, whispering something in her ear and kissing her cheek.

"Bella, where-" Mike's words stopped when he realized what my gaze was settled on.

"Who is _that_?" Laurent asked, craning his neck so he could watch the surprising exchange taking place a mere twenty yards away.

"I have no idea," I mumbled. "I've never seen her before."

"They look so comfortable," Mike commented, dropping down on the seat between Laurent and I and resting his elbows on the back of the booth.

"He _is_ an expert in making women feel comfortable with him," Laurent said.

"Seriously guys?"

"Sorry, sorry," Mike muttered. "Well, are you just going to sit here, or are you going to go do something about it?"

I peeled my eyes away from Edward and looked back and forth between my two friends. "I don't want to cause a scene…"

"Oh, please, Swan! You don't want to cause a scene? He's giving his number to another woman, for fucks sakes!"

My head shot up just in time for me to see him scribble something on a napkin and hand it to her. That was enough to make me want to create a scene.

I stood and adjusted my dress, marching off toward my boyfriend just as he stood up and headed back in our direction. He stopped when he saw my expression.

"Was there a long line at the bathroom?"

He shrugged. "You could say that. Then again, the club is busy, so it's expected."

"What the fuck Edward?" I grabbed his arm and yanked him toward an empty table. "Do you have anything you need to tell me?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he countered, folding his arms across his chest and narrowing his eyes. "What's with the third degree shit? I went to the bathroom, I stopped to chat with someone at the bar, and now I'm trying to get back to my table to resume having a good time with my girlfriend and our friends. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"You stopped to chat with someone at the bar? Oh, that's rich Edward." I placed my hands on my hips and lowered my voice. "I saw you with your hands all over that woman. You gave her your number. How does that equate to chatting?"

His eyes grew wide for a minute and then he laughed. "You're freaking out over nothing, Bella. Let me explain-"

"I'm freaking out over nothing? Really? Let's pretend I was the town bike of Manhattan before becoming your girlfriend. Would you think it was 'just nothing' if you saw me flirting it up with some random guy at the bar?" I used my fingers to make air quotes. Edward took a few steps back, looking at me as if I'd just slapped him.

"Wow. So all that shit you said in Seattle about trusting me and believing I'd changed and being happy to be with me – all of it was a big, fat lie, was it?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Don't turn this around on me!"

"You obviously don't trust me, or you'd let me explain." He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed in frustration. "I'm not turning anything around on you. I think you've got me perfectly pigeonholed here."

I bit my lip and tried to think of something witty to come back with, but instead I felt tears starting to build in my eyes. I really didn't want to have this discussion in the middle of a packed club, and I certainly didn't want him to see me cry. "You'll have plenty of space – and freedom – for the rest of the night, because I'm leaving."

"Of course you are. God forbid you hear something you don't want to. You're so childish sometimes."

I turned and stomped off in the direction of our booth. The tears I felt threatened to spill over, but somehow I managed to keep them at bay with a few blinks. "I need to get out of here."

"What? We just got here!" Mike pouted and gestured to the still-full bottle of vodka in the center of our table.

"You two can stay, but I am not. Laurent, can you please hand me my coat?" I turned to see if Edward was following me, but he was nowhere in sight.

"What happened?" Mike stood and grabbed his own coat, shrugging it on and craning his neck to search the club for the fourth member of our party.

"First he tried to tell me that there was a long line at the bathroom. Then he tried to play it off like she was just some old friend he happened upon."

"Maybe she was?" Laurent winced when he saw my reaction to his words.

"Okay, Swan, let's get you out of here." Mike flung his arm over my shoulders and steered me toward the door.

"Now what are we going to do?" Laurent asked once we were outside. He held his hands up in annoyance when Mike turned and scowled at him. "I'm sorry, but I did not just give up my table at a high-end LA club to come out here and stand in the middle of the fucking sidewalk like an idiot."

"I said you two didn't have to leave!"

Mike was uncharacteristically silent for a few minutes. His eyes lit up when he finally spoke. "I know exactly where we can go!" He stepped forward and flagged down a cab.

"This better be good," Laurent mumbled.

"Oh, it will be good, trust me." Mike turned to face me and smirked. "And don't you worry, Swan. You can get your drink on nice and good, because none of the men in this place will give a damn about _your_ goods."

We piled into the backseat of the cab and Mike instructed the driver to take us to Micky's.

"What the hell is Micky's?" I asked with annoyance. I was grateful for Mike's concern, but all I wanted to do was go back to the hotel and sulk at that point.

"A gay bar with some good eye candy and a wicked drag show."

"As much as I love ogling the other team's lineup, I just don't feel up to this right now."

"Isabella Marie Swan, stop that right this minute!" Mike leaned forward in the seat and glared at me. "I haven't seen you in almost a month, and I'll be damned if I'm letting you sit in the hotel room eating a ridiculous amount of calories and mindfucking this situation while watching some stupid weepy pay-per-view movie. I don't care if you just have one cocktail, you're coming out with us."

It _was_ a gay club, after all. One drink with my boys couldn't be so bad.

Right?

**-=- HC -=-**

Confetti peppered my hair and a pair of dimming glow sticks hung from my neck. It was almost four in the morning when the cab dropped me off, and even though Mike and Laurent practically had to pour me into it at the bar, I somehow managed to make my way up to the room with minimal trouble.

I slid my keycard into the lock, pushing the door open and staggering inside. I kicked my heels off immediately, wincing in pain when I banged my elbow against the wall.

"Fuck!"

The lights were off and I was greeted by silence. I felt along the wall until I found the light switch, flipping it on and bathing the room in a bright glow. My eyes stung and my head throbbed immediately.

"What the…" Edward was sprawled out on the couch, hands folded behind his head and eyes glued to the ceiling.

"You're back," he observed, sitting up and looking at me. Guilt washed over me when I saw his expression. Sadness and frustration colored his features, but mostly he looked defeated.

"Why are you on the couch?" I dropped my purse on the floor and hiccupped.

"I wasn't sure if you'd want to share the bed with a lying, sleazy bastard like myself."

I stiffened when I heard the bitterness in his tone. "Very funny, Edward. I never called you sleazy or a bastard," I said, turning to face him.

"No, but you certainly insinuated it."

"I don't want to fight with you." I slid my dress off and pulled on what I thought were my pajamas. _Guess I'll find out in the morning._

"You could have fooled me a few hours ago."

I sank down on the edge of the bed and buried my face in my hands. "Look, I've had a lot to drink, and I don't want to sit here and fire off a bunch of nonsense that I'll regret tomorrow morning."

Edward stared at me for a few minutes before lying back on the couch and flinging his arm over his eyes. "Well I certainly hope you enjoyed the rest of your night."

His words upset me, but I meant what I said about not wanting to drop any word vomit. "Goodnight, Edward," I mumbled, turning off the lights and crawling into bed.

"Goodnight, Bella."

Couples fought all the time, right?

So why did I get the feeling that this fight was only the tip of the iceberg for us?

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I opened my eyes slowly, squinting at the sun that streamed through the open curtains. I sat up and looked around, expecting to find Bella passed out in the bed. Instead I was greeted with an empty room.

I stood and stretched my sore muscles. I hadn't slept on a couch in years, and I certainly didn't think I'd have to start again during my own book signing tour. Sure, I made the conscious choice to leave the bed, but I just couldn't imagine trying to sleep next to Bella when there was so much anger and uneasiness hanging in the air between us.

I turned on my phone, wondering if she had called or texted to tell me where she was. When I had no alerts, I headed for the shower, preparing to get ready for what would surely be a long day.

After I was cleaned up and dressed, I noticed the piece of paper that sat on the edge of the bed.

_**Down at the beach with Mike and Laurent. – B.** _

I dropped the note in the nearby trash and slid my feet into a pair of sneakers. It didn't take long to spot Bella. She was sitting alone in the sand, legs hugged against her chest and chin resting on her knees. I dropped down next to her, crossing my legs Indian-style beneath me.

"Morning," I said, glancing over at her. She cocked her head to the side, meeting my eyes and giving me a half-smile.

"Morning."

I picked up a handful of rough sand, letting the granules run through my fingers until only a few remained. I didn't know what to say, who should be the one to apologize, or where our conversation might lead. After enough time passed to make it feel sufficiently awkward, I finally decided to break the silence. "Her name is Angela Cheney and she went to college with me."

"I'm sorry I was so quick to jump to conclu-" I pressed my finger against her lips, silencing her so I could continue.

"She was my lab partner freshman year, and her boyfriend – now her husband – Ben used to come over to our dorm and play video games with Jasper and me. I haven't seen her since we graduated, so you can imagine my surprise when the one place I run into her at is a nightclub across the country.

"I gave her my number to give to Ben so he could look me up when he's visiting his parents in New York. I was coming over to grab you for an introduction when things went south."

Tears brimmed her eyes, but she brushed them away with the back of her hand. "I wish you would have told me this last night."

"I was trying to tell you, but I couldn't get a word in edgewise," I reminded her. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, letting the sun's rays warm her skin.

"I'm sorry I was such an ass," she finally said, opening her eyes and looking in mine. "I know it's not fair for me to make assumptions, especially after all of the conversations we've had since leaving the city. I guess I just know how hard old habits die sometimes, and that was the first thought that crossed my mind when I saw you at the bar."

"I'm sure Newton and Laurent weren't of any help either." I could only imagine the theories the two of them would dream up if given the chance. "I never claimed to be perfect, Bella. I have a fair share of flaws, but I've been up front and shared them with you. I can't make you trust me, but I also can't be in a relationship with someone and feel like I have to walk on eggshells every time we go out in public."

A mixture of emotions filtered through her warm brown eyes. I half expected her to tell me to shove it and wondered if my honesty was too much. When her features relaxed, however, I knew that everything would be okay.

"You don't have to walk on eggshells, Edward. I really am sorry. You've given me no reason not to trust you, and that's something that I'll remember going forward." She reached her hand out and covered mine with it, squeezing my fingers and smiling shyly.

"We're okay, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, we're okay."

"Edward! Why are you in clothes?" Mike jogged up and plopped down in the sand next to us.

"I wasn't aware this was a nude beach," I joked.

"It may not be nude, but you could at least wear some trunks! I'm sure there's plenty of ladies – and two gentlemen – who would love to get a good look at those abs!"

I stood and kicked off my shoes, dropping my jeans and peeling off my t-shirt. "You're lucky I come prepared."

"The trunks were only a suggestion, you know."

"What time is the big, bad book signing?" Laurent asked, joining our beach pow wow and passing out some bottles of water.

"Six o'clock at some place called The Grove." I took a swig of water and stretched my legs out in front of me.

"We should do dinner at Geisha House after," Bella piped in. "I hear they have a pretty amazing sushi spread."

"I'm sold," I said. "Who wants to make the reservation?"

"I've got it," Laurent answered, fishing his cell phone out of a vibrant purple colored beach bag.

"What time is it now?" I asked.

"One-thirty," Mike told us. Bella glanced over at me and winked, and I hoped like hell we were on the same wavelength.

"I think I want to take a nap before the signing," she said, standing and brushing the sand from the back of her thighs.

Mike looked thoroughly flabbergasted. "A nap? What are you, sixty five?"

"No, I'm hungover and I would prefer to be fully functional this evening."

"I think a nap sounds like a perfect idea." I stood and slid my arm around Bella's waist. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." Bella winked and pinched my ass playfully.

"O-OH!" Mike's eyes widened in realization and he shooed us with a flick of his wrist. "Get out of here and have your make-up sex! Laurent will text you dinner deets."

"Thanks, Mikey." Bella blew him a kiss and grabbed my hand, pulling me impatiently toward the hotel.

"Great minds think alike," I murmured when we were safe in the privacy of our room. Bella giggled and pulled off my trunks, dropping to her knees and taking me in her mouth.

My head tipped back and hit the door with a thud, and I was pretty sure my heart skipped a beat.

With this as the end result, I couldn't wait for the two of us to fight again.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Two weeks later we were on the closing leg of the book tour. Edward's final signing was the following night, then we had one more day in D.C. before returning to the city.

I slid back on the bed and grabbed the TV remote. Edward had business contacts up and down the coast, and fortunately a few of them from Virginia were all too eager to take him out to lunch before his talk at Georgetown.

The phone on the nightstand began to ring, causing me to jump. I assumed it was the front desk, but quickly discovered I was wrong. "Hello?"

"What's wrong with your cell phone?" Alice sounded like she was in a wind tunnel, and for a second I wondered if she was with Rose and had me on speakerphone.

"Did you call it? Cause it didn't ring." I stood and rummaged through my purse. When I couldn't find the phone, I dumped the contents out on the bed and sifted through them. "Oh my god."

"What?"

I slapped my palm against my forehead. "I must have left my phone at the restaurant last night! I can't believe I didn't notice it until now."

"Rose said she tried calling you twice and got no answer, so I decided to call you. And guess what? No answer!"

"Well I'm glad to know you're both thinking of me." I sat back down on the bed and propped a pillow up behind my head. "So what's got Rose blowing my phone up?"

"Oh, who knows? Pregnancy hormones have her acting a bit on the crazy side. But, I can tell you we're both excited to have you back in a few days!"

"I'm excited to come back," I admitted. I loved spending time with Edward, but I missed my friends and sleeping in my own bed.

"I told Jasper about the whole 'I love you' thing."

"Oh really? And what was his response?"

"Well, he's happy for the both of you of course, but there was something behind his expression that I just couldn't place."

"What do you mean there was something behind his expression?"

"It just seemed like he had something to say, but chose not to." The crazy noise in the background resumed, and I guessed Alice was out on one of her many shopping sprees. "I could be imagining things for all we know, so don't get your panties in a twist over it. I guess I just thought it was weird because guys don't usually have an opinion about that shit. Well, unless we're talking Newton."

"Maybe Edward and Jasper have a secret bromance and my presence has rocked the boat?" I joked. Alice giggled.

"If that's the case, rock that boat all the way into the harbor. Something must be going right because for the first time in a long time we're all equally happy."

_Jinx._

"Will you be in the office on Monday?"

"Of course," Alice chirped. "When does your flight get in?"

"A little after noon I think. Shall I stop by and visit on the way to my apartment?"

"Do you even need to ask? Although I am surprised you're going back to your apartment. I figured you'd want a few more nights of shacking up with Edward."

"Edward can come shack up with me if he wants. I fully intend on submerging myself in my bed and not coming out until Tuesday morning!"

Alice laughed. "Alright sweet pea, enjoy the rest of your time in D.C. and text me when you get your phone back!"

"I'll see you on Monday!"

"Muah!" Alice made a sloppy kissing sound before hanging up.

I settled back into my cocoon, turning my attention to the television program in front of me.

As hard as I tried to avoid it, my thoughts kept turning back to Alice's comment about Jasper. I didn't know why, but for some reason I got a queasy feeling in my stomach when I thought about any reservations Edward's friends might have about my being with him.

_It's nothing, Bella. Chill the fuck out and enjoy yourself._

My heart was busy singing Edward's praises.

My mind, on the other hand, was wondering what it would mean if Jasper's reservations turned out to be something?

More specifically, my mind was now wondering how my heart would handle it if being with Edward turned out to be a mistake?

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for being here, reading, reviewing, rec'ing, and everything else. You guys are too awesome for words.
> 
> Find me on Facebook as Blu Eyed Cherry.
> 
> Find me on Twitter as rpexaminer.
> 
> Visit the blog at www dot blueeyedcherryfanfiction dot com.
> 
> See you in two weeks!
> 
> xoxo


	24. Second Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My schedule's been a little out-of-whack lately, so I didn't have a chance to get this up last weekend. I've only been home for about an hour every day for the last 10 (not counting sleeping), and needless to say I just had to set the fanfic on the back burner. Not giving up on my schedule though, and there will be another chapter next weekend as previously planned.
> 
> Gonna move my posting day to every other Sunday however. Saturdays just seem too busy with the internship and whatnot to find time to proof and post.
> 
> Chapter Song: Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie and the Blowfish
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. The fate of these crazy kids belongs to me.

**Alice's POV**

Tuesday morning left me feeling excited for two reasons. First, it was Valentine's Day, and even though Jasper and Emmett's original plans to take us to dinner and a show fell though, they now had a surprise in store for Rose and I. Second, Bella and Edward were coming home in a mere six days. I couldn't wait to hear stories from the road and see my best friend again.

Work was passing at a painful pace when a frazzled looking and winded Victoria White showed up at my office.

"Ms. White, what a pleasant surprise!" I clicked out of the spreadsheet I was working on and focused my attention on the woman before me. Victoria was once married to Collin Davis, a highly sought after architect with boyish good looks and an impressively large bank account. Most of Manhattan envied their union, as it read like the perfect fairytale; dirt-poor Midwest girl moves to the big city and captures the heart of one of the many charming princes roaming the streets. After five blissful years, rumors began to surface about Collin spending time at a private gay club in Jersey. The proof was never there though, and Victoria chose to ignore the whispers, but six months later she caught him with their pool boy. She ended up walking away with a large chunk of cash, which she then parlayed into a small chain of high-end boutiques that speckled the major cities on the country's East and West coasts.

Victoria was almost ten years older than me, but the woman didn't look a day over twenty-five. "Alice, please, it's Victoria and believe me, I wish I wasn't here." She caught the look on my face and rushed to clarify. "Not that I don't want to see _you_ , I just wish it was under different circumstances."

"I take it this isn't a social call?"

Victoria sank into the chair across from me and sighed. "I'm hosting a gala at the Waldorf Astoria in April and my party planner up and left the country."

"What do you mean 'up and left the country'?"

"It's a long story," she explained, throwing her hands in the air. "I need someone that can do good work on short notice."

"With all due respect, we aren't exactly professional event planners. Could I round up a good-looking guest list for you? Absolutely. Could I make sure there's ample press mentions about the gala? Definitely. Could I make all the pieces of the logistics puzzle fall into place? I'm not so sure."

"Oh, Alice, c'mon. I heard your partner worked wonders when it came to Edward Cullen's book release party."

"With help from an event manager at the venue, yes." I didn't want it to seem like I wasn't interested in the project, because that was far from the truth. Victoria didn't work with just anybody, and this was a fact that a lot of New York's high society knew. There were quite a few projects on our plate already, however, and I knew that Bella would likely need some time to decompress before being tossed into another huge job.

"I'm sure the Waldorf has an event manager too." Victoria clasped her hands in her lap and fixed me with a desperate stare. "Please, Alice. I don't trust just anyone to do this for me."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright, we'll work on it."

"Thank you so much!" She jumped out of her chair and rounded my desk, giving me a big hug. I patted her back awkwardly, not used to seeing such displays of gratitude or affection from one of New York's most hardened women.

"I will draw up the contract and have it ready by Friday. Can you come back that morning to sign it, or would it be easier if I met you somewhere?"

She shook her head, smiling excitedly. "There's no need to meet me anywhere. I'll be here Friday."

"Bella will be back in the office next Tuesday, at which time I'll have her get in touch with you to schedule a meeting." I flipped open a small notebook and pushed it across the desk. "Can you put your contact information on here so I can pass that along to her?"

Victoria scribbled her name, cell number, and email address onto the notepad before slipping it back to me. "Thank you so much, Alice. You have no idea how appreciative I am of your being willing to do this on such short notice."

"I should be thanking you. It's nice to know that our office is so highly thought of."

"Highly thought of is an understatement," she said, standing and straightening the edges of her expensive coat. "You're more sought after than either of you know."

I stood and reached my hand out. Victoria shook it, smiling at me before leaving my office. I turned and glanced out the window, crossing my arms over my chest and smiling to myself. Bella hated it when I took on big projects without consulting her first. Of course, this time around there wasn't a good-looking, wealthy asshole who she was subconsciously longing after involved, so I had a feeling she might despise it a wee bit less than she despised planning Edward's party.

Oh please, who was I kidding? Someday Bella would thank me for not deleting Edward's message immediately after he identified himself.

My phone buzzed from the top of my crowded desk. I peeled my eyes away from the scene before me and checked my texts.

_**Car will come for you and Rose at six. Whose place should I send it to? – J.** _

I smiled and quickly composed a response.

_**Rose's. I'll let her know. xo – A.** _

_**Good. Can't wait. Love you. – J.** _

_**Me either. Love you more. – A.** _

I plopped back down at my desk, busying myself with the work I'd left when Victoria arrived. The hands on the clock weren't moving fast enough, and my anticipation for the coming evening only seemed to slow them down even more.

I couldn't imagine what the guys had planned for us that night, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it didn't really matter.

There was nothing either of them could – or couldn't – do that would disappoint.

* * *

**Rosalie's POV**

The longer I stood staring at my closet the angrier I got.

Alice would be over any minute, the car was coming in a half hour, and I had yet to figure out what I was going to wear that night. Everything I tried on looked like shit.

"Knock, knock." My best friend poked her head around the bedroom door. Her smile faltered when she realized I was clad in nothing but a strapless bra and panties. "What's going on in here?"

All it took was one look from Alice and the tears started to fall. "I don't know what to wear and I feel like a fat mess."

"Oh, sweetie." Alice pushed the door open, crossing the room quickly and wrapping me up in a hug. "You can barely tell there's a baby bump there, and that's only if you're looking for it, which nobody will be."

"But nothing will fit, and I don't have time to go out and get something new." I never cried over fashion, but the little turd growing inside me seemed to enjoy making me cry over every little thing these days.

"Have you even tried anything on yet?" I shook my head, wiping my face with the back of my hand. Alice stepped around the pile of discarded clothes and started sifting through the many dresses that hung in the closet. Minutes later she produced an elegant looking floor-length dress. "Try this one on."

I slipped into the fabric wordlessly, waiting until after Alice zipped me up to look in the mirror. The dress hugged my curves perfectly, as it always had, and the bright red fabric stood out against my pale winter skin.

"See, you look incredible! And what did I tell you – no bump in sight!"

I shifted to look at my side profile in the mirror. Alice was right; the bump was barely noticeable, and as she'd said earlier, people wouldn't be looking for it. I sighed and smiled, feeling somewhat satisfied.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, sweetie." Alice grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, leading me into the bathroom and emptying the contents of my makeup bag onto the counter. "You get your face on and I'll handle the chaos that is your closet."

In the interest of time and because I was feeling just plain lazy, I decided to go the easy on the makeup. Once my lids were appropriately lined and my lips were thoroughly glossed, I collected everything, put it back in the case, and went back to help Alice finish up with the closet.

"I'm thinking the fashion gods are frowning on you right about now," Alice joked, hanging the last discarded dress in the closet and arching an eyebrow in my direction. "I've never seen so many labels lying on the floor."

I cringed. "Let's just pretend it never happened."

"Fair enough." Alice fetched my coat and held it out to me. "Come on, pregster. The car will be here any minute."

"Where do you think they're taking us?" I wondered while we waited for the elevator. My friend simply shrugged and smiled.

"Jasper refused to tell me anything."

I wrapped my coat tighter around myself before climbing into the back of the waiting Lincoln. Alice and I tried to coax the driver into telling us where we were headed, but he just smiled and shook his head. When it became clear he wouldn't talk, we moved on to discussing how excited we were that the third piece of our puzzle was returning to New York in less than a week.

Twenty minutes passed before the driver brought the car to a stop. "We've reached our destination, ladies." I opened the door and saw Emmett and Jasper standing on the sidewalk. Each of them held a bouquet of red roses and a card in their hand. The lights of Hoboken shined behind them, reflecting off the surface of New York Harbor.

"Happy Valentines Day, baby," Emmett whispered, pulling me into his arms and pressing his lips against my cheek softly. "Surprise."

I leaned back and looked up at him. The wind had blown a tuft of his hair up, and that combined with his dimples and sparkling eyes made him look more like a boy than a thirty-something man. Love bubbled up inside me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I said, running my fingers through his hair. When we parted, he handed me the roses and card. I moved to open the small square envelope, but Emmett covered my hand with his and shook his head.

"Wait until later. There may or may not be some cheesy sentimental stuff written in there."

"Great," I laughed. "What are you trying to do to this already overly-hormonal pregnant woman?"

He slipped an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. "Don't worry, there's a blow up raft somewhere in my apartment for when you cry us the Amazon."

"We better get moving or we're going to be late," Jasper piped up, grabbing Alice's hand and leading us in the direction of the waterfront. An elegant looking yacht was docked at the edge of the pier, and I was surprised when Jasper led us on it.

"What is all this?" I whispered to Emmett.

"You'll see." He smiled at me and squeezed my hand. Jasper stopped to talk to a well-dressed man, handing over what looked like four tickets and pointing his name out on a list. We were escorted to the boat's third deck, where another man led us into a private room. A table was set for four, adorned with a white linen tablecloth, two tall candles, and china place settings. Soft jazz music played in the background and two windows decorated one wall. The man took our coats and disappeared, leaving us to get settled.

"This is beautiful," Alice breathed, glancing out the window. The Manhattan skyline stared back at us, and when I looked closely I could see that a light snow had started to fall.

"There were no good groups playing in the city tonight," Jasper explained. "Emmett was going to try and get us into a show, but then my mom told me about these cruises and I realized what a perfect evening it would make." He reached his fist across the table and bumped it against Emmett's.

"You did good, Jas," Alice said, smiling happily. I nodded and rested my head on Emmett's shoulder.

"I hope you're both this impressed after dinner," Emmett joked.

A waiter appeared minutes later, uncorking a bottle of champagne and a smaller bottle of sparkling cider for me. My eyes welled up with tears as I took in the sight before me. A year ago Bella, Alice, and I were holed up in my apartment, eating Ben and Jerry's and cheesy heart shaped tortes and crying over _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days_.

Alice looked up at me, smirking when she saw my watery eyes. "What do we owe this round of tears to?"

"I'm just so … happy," I admitted, blushing when I realized how sappy I sounded. "We're all in such different places this year, but still standing together, if that makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense." Jasper picked up his champagne flute and held it in the air. "I propose a toast. To standing together."

"To standing together," the rest of us chanted, clinking our glasses and smiling.

"Think they'll still be standing with us when Bella gets back next week?" Emmett asked Jasper.

"I don't know, man. I think Edward might have a hard time standing _without_ Bella when they get back."

"And why is that?"

"They exchanged the three big words," Alice said, bouncing giddily in her chair. "From what I've heard, it sounds like things are getting rather serious."

I narrowed my eyes. "When did they say 'I love you'?"

"Oh gosh, three weeks ago? Maybe even four? Didn't Bella tell you?"

I shook my head and sipped my cider. "No, she didn't."

"I'm sure she meant to," Alice hurried to ease the awkwardness that had set over the table. "She probably just got busy or it slipped her mind."

"Maybe. I'll give her some shit for it when she gets home next week." The waiter brought out our appetizers and replenished the drinks.

"At least you've moved past wanting to punch the guy every time his name is brought up." Emmett jabbed me jokingly with his elbow.

"Or perhaps I just stopped vocalizing my desires," I snarked back, taking a bite of the tasty food.

"I'm telling you both, Edward is a changed man," Jasper interjected. "There's only one other woman I've seen him fall apart like this for, and that was ten years ago. Whatever magic Bella has, by all means please keep letting her work it."

"It's not magic, it's fate," Alice said dreamily.

I rolled my eyes and resisted the urge to gag. "Fate? Really? You're joking, right?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. Just look at the two of them. It's like they were lost souls wandering the city, waiting for the other to come along and act as a guiding light."

"What Harlequin novel did you pull that shit out of?"

"That, my dear, is coming straight to you from The Book of Alice."

Emmett's face scrunched in confusion. "The Book of Alice?"

The Book of Alice came about on a drunken post-college night. If I recalled correctly, Mike Newton was to blame for its conception, and Bella poked and prodded enough to keep the inside joke going. "It contains Alice's rules for life. And other random stuff, like phrases not to use in bed-"

"How come I haven't heard of this yet?" Jasper interrupted, winking at me and turning his attention to the shorty beside him.

Alice shrugged. "There's never been reason to mention it."

Jasper arched his eyebrows. "I believe I need a formal education on this book."

"Can you please hold off on that education until after we finish dinner?" Emmett's facial expression made everyone laugh, and by the time our main course was brought out we were engaged in a lively conversation about what we wanted to do when we went to Paris.

I cleared my throat and picked up my glass. "I want to propose another toast." The chatter stopped and the others turned to look at me. "To new life," I glanced at Emmett and rested my palm on my abdomen, "and new beginnings."

Alice looked at me with teary eyes and held her glass in the air, smiling as she clinked it against mine. The others followed suit, and I couldn't help but giggle as I wondered when we'd all become so fucking sappy.

"And to this Book of Alice," Jasper added in after sipping his drink. We all burst out laughing.

I'd never felt so fortunate. I could honestly say I had some of the best friends a woman could ask for.

My heart swelled at the realization.

**-=-HC-=-**

When dinner was done, the four of us made our way downstairs to where a string quartet was playing a version of "Unchained Melody." Emmett led me to the dance floor, grabbing my hands and bringing them up to rest on his shoulders. He slid his own around my waist, pulling me close to him and swaying to the music. I sighed contentedly and rested my cheek against his chest.

"Thank you for tonight."

"You're welcome." His face was buried in my hair, leaving his voice muffled. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For being your witty, assertive self and making the first move four months ago. For changing my life for the better. For making me happier than I ever thought possible."

"You're not reciting the inside of my card right now, are you?" Cracking a joke was the easiest way to avoid tears. He tucked his thumb under my chin and tilted my face up until my eyes met his.

"I mean it, Rosalie. I've never been as happy as I am right now. I love you."

"I love you too, Emmett." Tears welled up once again, spilling over on my cheeks. Wiping them away with his thumbs, he brushed his nose against mine and kissed me.

His lips melted against mine, moving fluidly in a dance I'd come to know very well. My feet were firmly planted on the floor, but I felt like I was soaring. Butterflies churned in my stomach, a warm flush tingled beneath my cheeks, and my knees felt like they were going to give out at any moment.

"You know, we're going to have the luckiest kid around," he said when the kiss broke.

"What makes you think that?"

He slid his hand down my shoulder and over my hip, letting it come to rest on the barely noticeable bump in the center of my abdomen. "Because he or she will have an incredible woman for a mother."

"If you keep talking like that I'm going to flood the boat."

He tipped his head back and laughed. "Incredible _and_ funny. I'm telling you, this little jellybean inside you will have it made."

I whacked his arm playfully before pulling him down for another kiss.

"Thank you for being so incredible, Rose," he whispered in my ear.

"Thank you for helping make me so incredible, Em," I whispered back.

In the history book of us, tonight was definitely going down as the most memorable of them all.

* * *

**Emmett's POV**

I gulped down the rest of my beer, waving the bartender over and ordering another one. Jasper was running late, and as always I had arrived early.

"Hey, man, I'm sorry about that." Jasper tugged out the stool beside me and took a seat, dropping his keys and wallet on the bar in front of him. "I had to help my dad with some stuff and you know how that shit goes. One thing turns into ten and then my mom gets involved and it's impossible to leave."

I chuckled. "I hope you at least thanked Charlotte for the Valentine's idea."

"Of course." Jasper ordered a beer and grabbed a basket of peanuts. "There wouldn't have been a date that night without her guidance."

I glanced around the bar, smiling at some of the memories that flashed through my mind. "You looking forward to Cullen's return next week?"

"Definitely," Jasper said with a nod. "I imagine your girlfriend is excited for his return as well?"

I laughed. "Oh yeah, you know it. Although I do think her heart has softened toward him, especially since the 'I love you' exchange."

"Ah, yes, the infamous three words." Jasper looked down at his hands, guilt clouding his features. "You don't think the bet had anything to do with those three words, do you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "The bet is still on?"

"No, no, no," Jasper met my glare and shook his head. "I put an end to that shit months ago."

"Why would you even ask that question then? You said yourself at dinner the other night that Edward is a changed man."

"He is," Jasper insisted. "I just worry sometimes that I helped get things with him and Bella off on the wrong foot, you know?"

"Have you talked to him about it? Called him out on it to see if his feelings are genuine?"

Jasper shook his head. "We haven't talked a lot since he left, especially after he found out I'm working alongside Jess. In fact, he didn't even tell me he said it himself. I found out from Alice."

I drummed my fingers on the top of the bar while the bartender set two burger baskets down in front of us. "Let me get this straight; you think Edward is a changed man, but you think he has ulterior motives behind his love for Bella? Am I following along here, because I feel like I'm way off the map right now."

"You know what? Forget I said anything," Jasper said with a sigh. "I haven't seen either of them in over a month, so I don't know why I'm even questioning Edward's motives at this point."

"Because you know him."

"You do too," he pointed out.

"I haven't known Edward – _really_ known him – since college, and we both know how long ago that was." I fiddled with my drink coaster and contemplated whether or not to ask my next question. "Does Alice know?"

"Like I said, Alice was the one who told me."

"Not about what they said, but about the bet. Did you ever tell Alice about the bet?"

I looked up in time to see Jasper's eyes widen. "Of course she doesn't know! Why the hell would I tell her? Do you want all of our asses to walk the plank together, because that's what would happen."

"Maybe that's where all this worry over Edward is coming from," I offered, ignoring his miniature outburst. "Even if he genuinely loves her, the bet still existed at one point, and that's something neither of you can take away. All it would take is one little slip up for Rose and Alice to find out, and then we'd all be toast, just like you said."

"And you think we won't be toast if I just come forward and tell her now, four months after the fact? Jesus Emmett, you're talking like an idiot!"

I looked back down at my beer and shrugged. "I'm sure she – and Rose – will be upset either way, but it's probably better for word to come out sooner rather than later. I think they'd both be more willing to accept the idea of his feelings being genuine if we just told them about all of this now."

"I ended the bet. Edward has the keys to the Hamptons place. There's nothing on the line anymore, and I'm not telling Alice anything." Jasper looked at me with eyes that resembled hardened steel. "The three of us are the only ones who know about this, and I can't imagine it getting unveiled unless it's on purpose. Do you have some intentions of trying to sabotage things for me? Or for Edward?"

"Of course not! Why would you even say that?"

"Good, because I don't either. So can we just agree to disagree on this one and keep our mouths shut and let everyone stay happy?"

I wanted to argue with him, but I knew it was no use. His mind was obviously made up and there wasn't anything I could do to change it. "Whatever you say, man. I just hope you're right and this doesn't blow up in our faces six months down the road."

Jasper picked up his burger and took a big bite, chewing harshly and refusing to meet my eye. I kept my attention focused on my beer, imagining what Rosalie's reaction would be if we were in Paris and she found out her best friend was once a mere wager.

Time ticked by every day, and the bet continued to hang over our heads like a bomb waiting to detonate. Even if the three of us had the best of intentions at heart, there was no guarantee someone wouldn't slip up and let some piece of incriminating information out one day.

Despite the fact that the bar was large and the crowd was fairly thin for a Saturday evening, I suddenly felt claustrophobic, like I was suffocating. I tossed some money down and grabbed my coat, leaving without saying a word to Jasper or letting him say a word to me.

Several gulps of cold February air did nothing to ease my anxiety. Even though I wasn't involved with the bet itself, I had knowledge and that meant I was in just as deep as Jasper and Edward were.

The nagging feeling inside me didn't want to desist, and that was when I knew:

Jasper wasn't the only one who would worry about this situation from here on out.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

Alice's bed was far more comfortable than mine, and for that reason we usually took up residence at her apartment when we chose to spend nights together. Sunday night was no different, except for the nagging feeling I had in the pit of my stomach.

I tried not to let my mind wander back to the conversation Emmett and I had at the bar the night before, but of course I couldn't stop it from happening. Knowledge of the bet wasn't public to anyone outside of the three of us, meaning there was no reason for Rose or Alice to question Edward's intentions or the truth behind the three magic words he'd managed to utter while away.

Nothing was guaranteed, however, and as much as I wanted to believe we would all three forever keep the secret, I knew there would always the possibility of the ladies finding out.

_You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't, but probably less damned if you just get it out there like Emmett suggested._

"What are you thinking about?" Alice emerged from the bathroom, hair dripping and wrapped in a fuzzy blue towel.

"Work," I lied, sitting and scooting to the edge of the bed. I ran a hand through my own freshly washed hair and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ "Look, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Can I dry my hair and get dressed first?"

"It's kind of important," I mumbled.

"Well then, I'll multi-task!" Alice dropped her towel and slipped on the pajamas she'd laid out, taking a seat in front of her vanity and plugging in the hair dryer.

"So, um, well," I was scared shitless. The next ten minutes could very well change everything, and not necessarily for the better. Alice eyed me curiously in the mirror, turning the hair dryer on low and blasting the air against her head. "Remember that first night at the Guggenheim, when Edward and Bella met? He was pissed when she didn't eat up his pickup line, and I thought it was funny because, well, he was an arrogant bastard at the time and it was nice to see someone knock him off his pedestal. Anyhow, one thing led to another and I may have made a bet with him that he couldn't get Bella to fall in love with him."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waiting for her reaction. When the dryer turned off, I opened my eyes and was surprised to find Alice smiling at me.

"I didn't hear a word you said," she admitted, sitting next to me on the bed and crossing her legs beneath her. "I'm sorry, I thought the noise would be low enough. Can you tell me again? I promise I'll listen this time."

I blew out the breath I was holding and closed my eyes once more. When I opened them Alice was still there, looking expectantly at me. The love and trust in her eyes was enough to make me realized that I just couldn't do this.

"I was just saying how I think Laurent and Mike had the right idea when they exchanged keys. I want to do that too." The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think twice. _So much for biting the bullet and being honest._

"Aw, Jasper that's so sweet! You must be reading my mind, because I had a copy made for you last week." She jumped off the bed and crossed the room, fishing a small envelope out of her desk drawer. Setting the envelope in my hand, she climbed on my lap and straddled me. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered, pushing aside the guilt I felt and pressing my lips against hers softly.

It was too late to rock the boat.

Edward and I would just have to live with the repercussions of our actions if it ever got to that point.

I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping with everything in me that knowledge of the bet would never become public.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew ... close call, eh? ;)
> 
> My friend's husband came up with the concept of The Book of Aaron (which he usually rambles about when drinking, lol), and it's entertaining enough to me that I figured Alice could use a metaphorical book of her own as well. Maybe there will be an outtake in the future from the night The Book of Alice came to be. Hehe.
> 
> SO ... Breaking Dawn Part 2 was incredible, and because I'm a sentimental mess anyhow, I just wanted to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who is here reading, tweeting, facebooking, etc. etc. I've met so many amazing people through this fandom, and that is where my greatest memories will always lie. The end of this is only just the beginning of some beautiful things in life, and I hope that everyone can embrace that and continue to smile at the memories and share positivity with one another in the future.
> 
> That concludes my spiel. Stateside readers, have a terrific and safe Thanksgiving! I hope everyone indulges in way too much pie - I know that's what I'll be doing! :)
> 
> See you in a week!
> 
> xo


	25. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone that celebrates Thanksgiving had a wonderful time last week!
> 
> More at the end! :)
> 
> Chapter Song: Like Coming Home by Lonestar
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. The fate of these crazy kids belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

When I stepped off the elevator on Tuesday morning I wasn't prepared for the scene that greeted me. A "Welcome Home Bella" banner hung across the front of the reception desk, adorned with purple and blue balloons on each side. A small cake sat on top of the desk, and several streamers had been strategically placed in the open area of the office.

"BELLA!" Alice's shriek was loud enough to split a person's eardrums. I dropped my bag on the floor and grinned, bracing myself when she sprinted toward me.

"Did you start working out when I was gone?" I joked as she slammed into me and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Not at the gym," she said when she pulled away, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"I've missed you, Short Stop."

"I've missed you too Bell!" I barely had time to grab my bag before Alice took my hand and pulled me toward her office. "There's so much to catch up on tonight at dinner!"

"Around here too I'm sure," I said, dropping down on a chair and resting my elbows on the edge of her desk. "Shall I launch right into business mode or do you have a few minutes to chat?"

Alice glanced at her watch. "I have a meeting in Jersey City in an hour that I have to leave for, but I already made Rose clear her schedule so we can go out tonight."

"Perfect! I'm in desperate need of some girl time."

"Six weeks with Edward just didn't cut it, eh?"

I stuck my tongue out at Alice and rolled my eyes. "I can't exactly talk to Edward about Edward. Well, I _can_ , but what good would it do?"

"Someone has to feed the narcissistic side of him, right?"

"You can inquire about that narcissistic side when you see him this weekend," I laughed. "Anything I need to know before you take off?"

Alice pushed a folder across her desk. "We have a new client and I think you'd be best suited for working with her. Glance over the info and we can talk more tonight?"

"Sounds good." I tucked the folder under my arm and stood. "It's good to be back."

"It's good to have you back." While Alice flitted around the room collecting what she needed for her meeting, I made my way down the hall to my own office. I pushed the door open and took a deep breath, smiling when the smell of office supplies and eucalyptus hit me. Everything looked the same as it had when I left, which made me happy. Alice sometimes liked to organize and re-arrange my stuff when I was gone, despite the fact that she knew it drove me crazy. This time around it looked as if she'd merely done what I'd asked, which was to water my plants and replace the air freshener bulb if it ran out.

I slid my chair out and took a seat, dropping the file folder on top of my desk and tucking my bag away beneath it. I pulled my cell phone out and smiled when I saw the text from Edward.

_**Missing you already. Is it Friday yet? – E.** _

I punched in a flirty response before tucking my phone away in my desk drawer. I was back in the saddle, there was work to be done, and as much as I hated it, texting my boyfriend would have to wait.

"Victoria White?" I said to myself when I cracked open the folder. I skimmed through her contract, setting it aside and pulling out the notes that Alice had taken during their first few meetings. It looked like she was planning another charity event – a rather large and extravagant one, nonetheless.

I picked up my phone and dialed her number. I had no idea how many other small projects Alice had found for me to handle, so I thought it best to get started on this big one right away.

"This is Victoria." Confident, calm, and slightly flirtatious; it was nice to know that some things never changed.

"Hello Victoria! This is Bella Swan. I was just looking through Alice's notes from your meeting last week and was hoping we could set up a time to get together and chat."

"Bella! I'm so happy you made it home safe!" Victoria had always been pleasant toward me, though I didn't know her well enough to call her a friend. She ran in circles with New York high society while I didn't have any one particular circle to run with.

"As am I. I see you have a big event coming up that you need some help with?"

"You have no idea," she said, launching into the story of how her best friend and party planner took off to Brazil with his lover, leaving her high and dry and in a good old-fashioned bind.

"I'm available on Thursday afternoon if you are. We could get lunch and discuss the details, guest lists, media coverage, and talk more about the location."

"Perhaps we could meet at the Waldorf for lunch?"

"If that's what you'd like, I'm more than happy to accommodate. Then we can arrange our next meeting as well, which will be with their event planner."

"I'm so happy you and Alice were able to take this on," Victoria gushed. "I just know everything will turn out perfect."

"That's a very high compliment coming from you, Victoria."

I heard some papers rustling on the other end of the line before she spoke again. "I can do twelve-thirty or one on Thursday?"

"Let's plan for twelve-thirty. I'll take care of the reservations."

"Thanks again, Bella. I look forward to seeing you Thursday!"

"The same goes for you, Ms. White. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon!"

I jotted the meeting details down in my planner and pulled up the Waldorf Astoria website, reserving a table for two at Peacock Alley on Thursday.

I spun my chair around and looked out the window, enjoying the familiar view that greeted me. A smile crept across my face and a sense of calm settled over me.

It felt good to be home.

**-=- HC -=-**

Alice was waiting at the restaurant when I finally got there. Rosalie was, as always, running fashionably late.

"When did this place open?" I asked, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"About two weeks after you and Edward left. We've only been here a few times, but Rose is always craving mashed potatoes now, and theirs are good so I decided this was the place!"

"Oh, Rose." I smiled wistfully. For some reason we hadn't connected as much as I'd have liked while I was gone. I missed her every day, however, and couldn't wait to give her a big hug.

"I should probably warn you, her hormones are out of control." Alice slid into the booth next to me and shrugged her coat off. "She's cried more tears in the past month than I think I've seen her cry in the twenty-nine years leading up to it."

"Talking about me, are you?" Rose's voice was hard, but a playful expression danced on her face. I smiled, pushing Alice back out of the booth and throwing my arms around my best friend. She squeezed me tight against her and sniffled.

"You're going to make me cry too," I whispered, pulling away and cupping her face with my hands. Tears shone in her eyes, and I wiped my thumbs across her cheeks to rid them of the ones that had already fallen.

"I'm a fucking mess," she joked, loosening her grip on me and letting her eyes roam over my figure. "You're looking great, Bell! All those horizontal aerobics are good for the bod, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and smacked her shoulder lightly. "In the grand scheme of things, you're winning the horizontal aerobic contest." I put my hand on her small baby bump and smiled.

"Oh, please, I'm just the only one to walk away with a permanent souvenir from it so far." She covered my hand with hers and returned my smile. "I'm so happy you're home."

"Me too," I whispered.

"Okay gals, enough of the theatrics. They're never going to let us back here again," Alice joked. Rose and I rolled our eyes at the same time, causing all three of us to burst out laughing.

"Where are Emmett and Jasper tonight?" I asked when we were all seated.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they're out with Edward. Guys have to catch up on their gossip too, you know," Alice said.

"Especially those three," Rose pointed out. "If I didn't know any better I'd think they were a trio of old women disguised in mens bodies."

We placed our orders and Alice jumped right in. "I want to hear all about your week in Seattle!"

"And _I_ would like to know why I had to find out Edward loved you from Alice?" Rose stuck her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout. "Christ, even Newton knew before I did!"

I held my hands up and shook my head. "One question at a time, please. My brain can only process that much at once."

"You better answer her's first." Alice nodded in Rose's direction. "Pregnancy did nothing to help in the patience department."

I bit my lip as I struggled to form an answer. "It wasn't that I didn't _want_ to tell you, Rose, because believe me I did. You've just always been so … skeptical of Edward and his intentions," I explained. "I was happy when he told me and I didn't want anyone raining on my parade. I'm sorry if that sounds bitchy, and you know I love you to pieces, but I wasn't sure how you'd take it."

"Oh, sweetheart." Rose reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I know I can be a bit of a mama bear at times-"

"That's a nice way of putting it," Alice chimed in.

Rose shot her a glare and continued. "But at the end of the day I just want to see you happy. And if Edward holds the keys to that happiness, then I'm going to be here to support the both of you."

"Thank you."

"Yay, you kissed and made up – now how about _my_ question?" Alice batted her eyelashes playfully and gave me the puppy dog eyes.

"I'll just start from the beginning – his first meeting with Renee and Charlie." The girls focused their attention on me as I recounted details of the week we'd spent in my hometown. They both laughed at the thought of Edward going fishing with my dad and found no surprise in the fact that my mother not only thought Edward was handsome, but that she was pretty much in the throws of planning our wedding already.

"Who knew Edward could be so romantic," Alice said, staring dreamily out the restaurant window.

"I don't think any of us did." I lifted my glass to my lips, taking a sip of water and letting my mind momentarily wander.

"Did the suitcase come in handy?" Of course Alice would bring that up.

"The suitcase..." My voice trailed off and I felt the color drain from my face. "Oh fuck."

Alice wiggled her eyebrows. "Is that a good 'oh fuck' or no?"

"I forgot the suitcase at Charlie and Renee's house!"

A loud, obnoxious laugh left Rose's lips. "Charlie is so going to find that! If he hasn't already, that is."

"Oh, trust me he hasn't. I haven't been on the receiving end of any irate phone calls."

"Well, I hope you at least got some use out of it before abandoning it in Forks," Alice said with a wink. My cheeks heated up and she snapped her fingers and pointed at me. "A ha! Don't think I can't see that blush, Bell. You went through it and you liked it!"

"Okay, moving on..."

"Did you Edward talk about what you're going to do now that you're back in the city?" Saved by the pregnant woman. _I have to remember to thank her later._

"Nope," I answered with a shrug. "I mean, I don't think anything has to change, ya know? We spend time together, we continue to get to know one another, and everything else will progress at it's own pace."

"How many nights has he spent at your house since you got back?"

"None."

"Okay, how many nights have you spent at his?"

"We've only been back for one night, Rose, and I spent it alone in my own apartment, thank you very much."

She held her hands up and smirked. "I'm just saying, you spent six consecutive weeks together. I can't imagine it being easy to go back to sleeping alone after that."

"We haven't even been together for two whole months. What on Earth do you expect us to do, move in together?"

"Correction – you've been _official_ for two months," Alice pointed out. "You were also doing some weird pseudo relationship dance for three months before that, remember?"

"Alright, alright, calm down you two. When the time is right, we'll discuss things. Until then, I'm content with just being together and seeing where life takes us."

The conversation turned to Rose then, much to my relief, and we spent the next hour talking about the baby, her fears, and our upcoming Paris vacation.

When I was walking home later that evening, Rose's questions kept coming to me. I _did_ miss Edward, even though we'd only been apart for a day. Then again, I also enjoyed my space, especially all of it that came with having my own apartment.

We had some things to figure out; that much was clear. How and when we'd do so wasn't.

Falling back into my old routine with the girls would be easy.

Finding a new routine with Edward, on the other hand, might not be.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Come in!" I shouted from my spot in the kitchen. I finished dumping two bags of Doritos into bowls and headed for the living room where I knew I'd find Jasper. The Rangers were playing the Penguins in Pittsburg, so we opted to have a guy's night at my place in honor of my homecoming.

"Welcome back, man!" Jasper put down the case of beer he was holding and bumped his fist against mine.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing the beer and heading for the kitchen. Jasper followed close behind.

"Are you fasting?" He nodded in the direction of my fridge, which was currently bare except for a few protein shakes, a package of butter, and several bottles of condiments.

I shook my head. "Nah, I just haven't had the ambition to go grocery shopping yet."

"Understandable. How was the trip?"

I handed Jasper a bottle of PBR and leaned against the counter, twisting the top off of my own. "Fucking amazing. I could have easily spent another six weeks on the road."

"Because of Bella or because you genuinely enjoy public speaking?"

"Both," I answered with a laugh. "Have I told you how incredible Bella is?"

"Not in so many words, but Alice has numerous times, so trust me when I say I'm well aware of your girlfriend's level of awesomeness."

I couldn't stop myself from grinning like an idiot. "Would you have ever guessed I'd be in this situation?"

"Only when pigs started flying." He smirked and took a swig of beer. "Alice said you dropped the big three words."

"That I did, my friend."

"Did a specific event inspire this or did the time just feel right?"

I tipped my beer in the direction of the living room. "Pizza and chips are essential accompaniments to this story." I was en route to my favorite armchair when another knock stopped me.

"It's Emmett," Jasper explained. "I hope you don't mind that I invited him over."

I shrugged. Most of the fondness I had for Hale had disappeared in the years after we left school, but it wasn't like I couldn't stand the guy. "He's as much a part of our newfound social circle as you and I are."

"Wow, you must be in love," Jasper quipped, making a beeline for the door and letting Emmett in.

"This is one hell of a building," Emmett remarked, shrugging out of his coat and tossing it over the back of the couch. "I don't even want to know how much it costs you to live here."

"More than I'd be willing to pay for a rental," Jasper said. I rolled my eyes and ushered them both into the living room, settling down in my spot and grabbing the remote. Once the TV was muted I turned my attention back to my buddies.

"I told Bella about Jess."

Emmett's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Gory details and everything?"

"Gory details and everything," I affirmed. "I shocked myself by doing it. She asked me about my previous relationship when we first got to Washington, and I just couldn't talk about it. By the end of the week I wanted to be an open fucking book though."

"What was her reaction?" Jasper drained his beer and set the empty bottle down on the end table next to him.

"She was remarkably understanding." I thought back to that night at the restaurant and how easy it had been to have the difficult conversation with her. "I don't know, it just felt like she got me, you know? She understood the hurt, the guilt, and the anger, and why I've been so reluctant to open up to anyone since."

"What about the promiscuity? Did she understand that?" Leave it to Emmett to toss that out there.

"I didn't give her the rundown on my sex life, jackass."

"That's because it's pretty much public knowledge." I glared at Jasper, eliciting a smirk from him.

"And it would have taken half a day to comb through that mess," Emmett added.

"Fuck you both." I flipped them the double bird and grabbed a handful of chips. "To make a long story short, I told her I loved her when we got back to the bed and breakfast, she told me she loved me too, and now here we are, back in New York in one piece."

"Well man, I'm happy for you." Jasper smiled. "I honestly wasn't sure what would go down when you left in January."

"You're not the only one," I said, kicking my feet up. "Enough about my relationship. How do you like the new job?"

"I love it! One month there has me feeling more at home than years at _The Journal_ ever did."

I bit the tip of my tongue, debating whether or not to ask my next question. _Ah, hell, just go for it._ "How is Jess?"

My words took him by surprise. "She's good. Really good, actually."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said sincerely.

Jasper narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure someone didn't hit you with a frontal lobotomy while you were away?"

"Ha ha, very funny. I wasted too much time being hostile toward her. From here on out it's all about positive thinking."

"Does that mean I should invite her to the opening of Emmett's next show?"

"Hell no!" I laughed. "I have to draw the line somewhere."

"And I thank you for doing that. I hear she and Lauren are still friends, and I'll be damned if I want to see her." Emmett cringed. I wasn't the only one who'd fallen victim to a bad college breakup.

"So Mr. _GQ_ Sports Editor, tell us what we can expect in the upcoming issues."

"We're doing a baseball feature in the April issue," Jasper explained. "I know that Derek Jeter and Evan Longoria are going to be on the cover, and then we're featuring another eight players inside."

"Christ, don't tell Newton about that photo shoot! He'll be hounding you for days to get in there and watch."

Emmett's attempt to hold back his laughter failed, and he let out a loud whoop. Jasper was next to go, and pretty soon we were all three clutching out stomachs.

"Oh man, can you imagine what would happen?" Emmett wiped at his eyes and shook his head.

"A restraining order or two would surely be in place after all was said and done," Jasper joked.

"And then Whitlock here would be out of a job," I added in.

"And then I'd have to kick Newton's ass, and that jut wouldn't be good."

"It's good to be back," I said, grabbing the remote and turning up the television's volume.

"It's good to have you back," Emmett said, much to my surprise.

I smiled at both him and Jasper, and then fixed my attention on the hockey game. As much as I loved spending time with Bella, I couldn't deny how good it felt to have a night with the guys.

 _Ah, yes_ , I thought to myself.

_There's no place quite like home._

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The rest of the week passed quickly, and soon Friday arrived. I had just gotten home from work and was sorting through my mail when one particular item caught my eye. I tore the letter open, disregarding the envelope and scanning over the contents.

I didn't have a lot of money to spend when I first moved to Manhattan, so finding a good deal on a nice piece of real estate was a top priority for me. Luck was on my side, and I managed to find an elderly couple that had just retired to Florida and were looking to rent out their apartment. My rent never went up, and as a result I hadn't had to move since arriving in the city.

Now, the words that stared back at me indicated that the couple was planning on selling the apartment and had come up with an asking price, which they were willing to negotiate with me if I was interested. According to the letter, I had until April 30 to negotiate and make some type of decision. If I opted to move, I would need to be out of the unit by June 30.

"Knock, knock." I turned to find my front door open and Edward's head poking around it.

"Security is getting a bit lax around here," I joked, pulling the door open all the way and stepping forward to kiss him.

"Mmm, you should blame your downstairs neighbor." He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. "I slipped in the door behind her and she never even blinked."

"You're early," I noted, kissing his cheek one more and pulling away. He tossed the duffle bag he was carrying on the floor and kicked off his shoes.

"I got out of my last meeting earlier than I thought I would," Edward explained, heading for my kitchen. He grabbed two beers from my fridge and opened them, handing one to me and tipping back the other.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and then at my boyfriend. " _The New York Times_ called me today. They want to interview you." When we got back from the book tour we made a rule: no discussing work-related things after five. Evenings and weekends belonged to us, and that was when we could drop down the walls of professionalism and just be together.

"Really?" He cocked an eyebrow up and smirked. "And why is that, might I ask?"

I strode across the kitchen, closing the space between us and setting my beer down on the counter next to where he was leaning. Standing on my tip toes, I brought my lips up until they were almost touching his ear. "Your book made their best-seller list," I whispered.

"You're joking, right?" His arms were around me in an instant. "This is insane! Don't get me wrong, it's the best news I've heard all week, but it's still insane! I'm a _New York Times_ best seller! I have to call Esme!"

I laughed and watched on as he dialed up his parent's number to share the news. His excitement was contagious, and the animation on his face reminded me of a child on Christmas morning.

"There's so many people I want to call," he said when he hung up. I grabbed the rest of my mail off the table and grinned.

"Call away. I'll be in the living room."

The letter regarding my apartment sat on the top of the stack, and while Edward got busy calling Embry and Jasper, I started to think about my living arrangement. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of moving, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to stake a permanent claim on the unit. Then again I probably wouldn't find as good of a deal in another building. One look at the price the couple had listed told me my monthly payment wouldn't be much more than it was now, which would leave me with room in my budget to save money and indulge in things like vacations or spa days with the girls every now and then. It _would_ make more sense for me to invest my money in some form of equity, but what if I decided I wanted to leave the city someday? I'd have the option to sell, but that was a hassle too, one that I didn't know if I wanted to deal with the headache of.

"Okay, I think I'm done freaking out." Edward dropped down on the sofa next to me and rested his head against my shoulder. "What's that?"

I handed him the letter, resting my own head on top of his and sighing. "My landlord wants to sell this unit."

"Wow." His eyes skimmed the letter before he set it on the couch next to him. "How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know," I answered. "I've lived here for almost six years. Moving isn't something I've ever considered, but neither is buying. Do you own your place?"

He shook his head. "Up until about four months ago I was afraid to commit to anything – apartments included!"

"Would you ever buy a place in the city?"

"I think so." He sat up and turned to face me. "I don't have any intentions of leaving Manhattan, so it would probably make sense down the road."

"How far down the road?"

"Is there a motive I should be aware of behind this question?"

"Not really," I answered honestly. "Inquiring minds just want to know."

"I don't even know. A few years?" He reached out and pinched my arm playfully. "Or maybe a few months if you want to shack up together."

I had no idea how to respond, which was evident by the word vomit that came pouring out. "I'm not sure we can shack up, Cullen. I mean, you snore, leave your whiskers in the sink after you shave, and in Atlanta there was-" Edward reached out and covered my mouth with his hand.

"I was just kidding," he muttered. "But thank you for giving me a rundown of all my less-than-desirable domestic qualities."

I grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away while my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I couldn't tell if you were kidding, and then I didn't know how to respond, and I just started blathering."

"Relax, Bella." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against my forehead. "You do realize we all but lived together for the past six weeks?"

"I know."

"And we're going to be all but living together every weekend from here on out."

"I know, but-"

"And you don't have to make any decision about your apartment until the end of April, right?" I nodded. "So that gives us two months to see how we fare now that we're back in the city. Living together isn't an option right now, but maybe we can revisit the topic when it's closer to the time you need to make your decision by."

"We've only been together for two months," I blurted out. "It'll be four months at the end of April. Doesn't that feel rushed to you?"

"If you were to ask me to move in here tonight, yes I'd tell you it felt rushed." He brushed a wayward strand of hair behind my ear and cupped my cheek with his palm. "But on the same token, had you asked me four months ago if I would be in a committed relationship right now, I'd of asked what the hell you were smoking. Things change with time. Who's to say that option will still feel rushed come mid-April?"

He had a point. Life, relationships, and everything else evolved with time. Emmett and Rosalie had only been together for four months, but they agreed to have a baby and raise it together, which was a hell of a lot bigger of a commitment than moving in with someone. Maybe Edward and I _would_ be ready to cohabitate when the four-month marker rolled around as well.

"You're right." I stood abruptly, grabbing the letter and folding it up. "I'm going to keep this tucked away for now, and we can revisit it together in the future."

"Perfect." He stood as well. "What do you feel like eating tonight?"

"Chinese? There's a couple menus in the drawer next to the oven."

"Sesame chicken, fried rice, and a side of wonton soup?"

"Perfect." I headed to my room, tucking the letter away in my nightstand and making a mental note to jot something regarding its whereabouts down in my planner.

Edward was seated on the couch when I got back, legs crossed beneath him and TV remote in hand. A small stack of DVDs sat on the coffee table, along with two fresh beers.

"Ready for a romantic night of couch potatoing?"

I snorted. "Did you really just make the phrase 'couch potato' into a verb?"

"I did." He patted the empty space next to him and grinned the grin that always managed to turn me to mush. "It's one of my many unknown talents."

"Oh really? And what would some of these other unknown talents be?"

He scratched his chin, pretending to be lost in thought. "I'd tell you, but-"

"You'd have to kill me?" I finished. He laughed, pushing me over on the couch and climbing on top of me. He leaned forward, brushing his nose against mine and kissing me gently.

"I love you, Bella Swan. Neurotic tendencies and all."

"I love you too, Edward Cullen. Log sawing nose and all."

His lips met mine once more, and I melted against him.

Two months had brought us here.

I couldn't wait to see where the next two months would take us.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our lovebirds have returned to New York! Hooray!
> 
> So - there's going to be some small time jumps in the next few chapters. That being said, there's approximately 5-6 more regular chapters left, and then the epilogues.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who is still here! It means more to me than I can adequately express. :) And thanks for putting up with my erratic posts as of late. The holidays always intensify the insanity of every day life.
> 
> Come play on Twitter - rpexaminer
> 
> Come pay on Facebook - Blu Eyed Cherry
> 
> Visit the blog - www . blueeyedcherryfanfiction . com (no spaces)
> 
> Until next time...


	26. A New Arrangement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Here's hoping 2013 is filled with love, laughter, happiness, and success for all! :)
> 
> The holidays wiped me out as I'm sure you noticed, and I kinda lost my writing mojo for a bit. I'm back in the saddle again now, however, and plan on resuming my regular update schedule for this story heading into the new year.
> 
> I participated in FAGE this year. My entry, which was for the lovely Staceleo, is now posted. It's called 'A Night to Remember.' Lots and lots of fluff, so check it out if you're into that. And thank you very much to beegurl13 for the sexy little piece she wrote for me. It's called 'Can You Feel It?' and everyone should check it out.
> 
> I won't keep going here, but some thank yous are in order and you'll find those at the end.
> 
> See you in a few!
> 
> Chapter Song: Heaven by No Doubt
> 
> -N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. The fate of these fun people belongs to me.

**Bella's POV**

Six weeks after our discussion I still had no solid answer to give Edward when it came to the idea of living together. In fact, having so much time to contemplate had done nothing but leave me more confused than ever.

I only had three weeks left to negotiate with my landlords or give them my official notice to vacate. That meant Edward and I would need to have another conversation sooner or later. He'd been dropping subtle hints over the course of the past month, letting me know he was still more than interested in the idea of us cohabitating.

Alice, Rose, and I had spent an ample amount of time discussing the situation, and at the end of the day they both agreed that I should give Edward's proposed living arrangement a try. Alice pointed out, as Edward had, that we'd spent six consecutive weeks staying together in hotel rooms around the country. In her words, "If you two didn't kill each other then, what makes you think you would now?"

Rose was a bit more apprehensive, but surprised me by drawing the same conclusion as Alice. "I love you sweetie, and I love that you always think with your head, but this time I think it might be safe for you to jump with your heart," she'd said.

That left me with just one other person to mind fuck the situation with.

"It's been too long since you and I have gone out alone!" Mike held his arm out and I looped mine through it happily. The first signs of spring were starting to appear throughout the city, and instead of spending our time indoors we opted to go for a walk in Central Park.

"Between Edward and the White party my head is spinning." I used my free hand to pull my cell phone out and check for missed calls or messages. Mike reached around and grabbed it from me, stuffing it in his pocket and clicking his tongue.

"You're mine for the morning, Swan. No calls, no texts, and no interruptions." We started down the trail. "So, when is this big fiesta you're helping coordinate?"

"April 21."

"Will I be getting an invitation?"

"Alice's parents paid for two tables for ten people each. We're included in their head count."

"Laurent too?"

"No, he has to stay home that night," I teased.

"Bitch."

"It takes one to know one." Silence filled the air for a brief moment, and then we both burst out laughing.

" _All_ of us are at one of the tables," I explained. "Laurent included."

"Thank fuck." We weaved around a jogging elderly couple. "What's the occasion behind this thing?"

"Victoria holds two galas each year to help raise money for charity," I explained.

"What type of charity are we supporting this time around?"

"Children's cancer research."

"Is there any entertainment lined up?"

I nodded. "Stand up comedy, as a matter of fact. Which I find incredibly odd, given the composition of the guest list."

"Well, someone will have to lighten the atmosphere in that room. It'll get too stuffy with a bunch of big business suits crammed in."

Mike and I came to a stop in front of an ice cream cart, where he ordered us each a bomb pop. We plopped down on a bench a few feet away to enjoy our treats.

"So, how are things going with Mr. Perfect?"

I smiled. "Things are going very well."

"Any new developments?" he asked, arching his eyebrows. "C'mon, Swan. I rely on you to keep me abreast on the gossip in this social circle."

"Well, actually, yes." I took a deep breath and looked over at my friend. "He suggested that we get a place together."

"WHAT?!" he shrieked, causing a woman walking past to jump and the ice cream vendor to turn and look at us in alarm. Mike lowered his voice. "When did this happen?"

"A little over a month ago," I explained.

"And you're still living apart?" I nodded sheepishly. "Why?"

"We agreed to take some time to think about it."

"Well? You've had weeks to contemplate, Bell. What are you thinking?"

I released a loud breath and looked out at the park. "Honestly? I think I want to do it, but I'm completely terrified."

"What part are you terrified of?"

I thought for a moment. "What if it doesn't work? Where am I supposed to go then? Or what if he gets tired of me or realizes that my habits are the bane of his existence?"

Mike laughed. "Oh, Swan, don't be such a narcissist!"

I scowled. "I'm not being a narcissist, ass. These are legitimate concerns that I have."

"Every couple that lives together worries about these kind of things at some point. You need to stop focusing your energy on this negative stuff and start thinking about all the great things that will happen if you do live together."

"Like what?"

"Like getting to see that man's fine naked ass every single night instead of just a few nights a week."

"Leave it to you to come up with something like that."

Mike slipped his arm around my shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "In all seriousness, the two of you are cute as hell and you seem to be very good fits for one another. I say go for it."

"But-" Mike covered my mouth with his hand and shook his head.

"I'm sure you've covered all the 'buts' and 'ifs' that exist over the past few weeks, missy. I think it's time to give your mouth a rest – at least when it comes to the contemplation game you're playing – and listen to what this," Mike pointed to his heart, "is telling you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oddly enough, that's the same thing Rosalie told me when we were talking about this."

"Well, as you must know after being friends with us all for how long, Rosalie and I are usually right."

"Usually?"

"Okay, we're _always_ right." Mike bit the last part of his bomb pop off the stick and stood up. "Now, if you don't mind, I think we need to discuss what to wear for this party that's coming up. In particular, we need to discuss what _I'm_ going to wear to this party."

I stood and looped my arm through Mike's once more, setting off down the path that we were already taking. As Mike went on about possible designers and price ranges for the suit he would wear, I continued thinking about Edward and how we would work out a suitable living arrangement. I knew we were fortunate in that we'd only had one fight during our time together. However, I also knew that things wouldn't always be rainbows and sunshine between us, and I wasn't sure how we'd handle that when we shared the same space. Separate apartments meant we could go our separate ways and use the time to cool off when things got tough.

I sighed and turned my attention back to what Mike was saying.

"I should have asked about this sooner. There's no way I'm going to be able to get the suit I want on such short notice."

"Maybe you can talk Rose into dressing you," I suggested. "She loves doing that shit. Free advertising, ya know?"

"She's probably getting tired of dressing me. I think I've gone to her for the last three big occasions I've had."

"Oh, please. This is Rosalie Smith we're talking about. Do you think she'll ever tire of dressing people?"

Mike smirked. "Point taken."

I glanced over my shoulder, taking note of Edward's building looming across the way.

"Just say yes, Swan." Mike whispered, giving my arm a soft pinch.

I blushed. "How do you do that?"

"You're like an open book, doll. Always have been and always will be."

I bit my lip and turned my attention back to the path in front of us.

It was my weekend to stay at Edward's place, which meant I'd be going over there sometime tomorrow night.

That gave me a little over twenty-four hours to figure my shit out.

And to decide if I was ready to just say yes – or just say not right now.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

_**We need to talk. – B.** _

_**Still coming over tonight? – E.** _

_**Of course. I'll be there at five. – B.** _

_**Should I be worried? – E.** _

_**Oh gosh, no! Sorry, I didn't realize how bad that might sound! :) – B.** _

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and resumed chopping vegetables. Since returning to the city, Bella and I had been alternating whose house we spent weekends at. This weekend marked my turn, and I decided stir-fry and a nice wine was a good way to kick it off.

I was just finishing setting the table when I heard Bella's key in the lock. A minute later arms slid around my waist and soft lips pressed against the back of my neck.

"Happy Friday," I murmured, turning around and hugging her against me. She sighed and rested her cheek on my chest. "How was work?"

"I'm so exhausted." She leaned away and ran her hands down my chest. "I just want this gala to be over. I'm counting down the days."

"It's next weekend, right?"

She shook her head. "It's the twenty-first. Fifteen more days."

"Well, I hope you're hungry tonight." I linked my pinky finger with hers and led her to the dining room. "I'm afraid I made a bit too much rice."

"This looks delicious," Bella commented, pulling out a chair and taking her place. I sat across from her and watched as she eagerly dished up some food.

"So…" my voice trailed off and my mind wandered back to the series of text messages we'd exchanged not that many hours earlier. I took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. "What did you want to talk about?"

She held her finger up, indicating I should wait while she finished chewing her food. Once she took a large gulp of wine, she cleared her throat and set her fork down. "Our living situation."

A jolt of anxiety zipped through me. I'd been mentioning-but-not-mentioning the idea of moving in together ever since I first brought it up so many weeks ago. I didn't want to bombard Bella with it, nor did I want her to feel like I was trying to pressure her in to it. At the same time, the idea excited me, and I couldn't help but talk about it when the opportunity presented itself.

I placed my napkin in my lap and leaned forward on my elbows. I couldn't explain the feeling that had settled itself in the pit of my stomach. It was a wicked combination of apprehension and excitement. "Go on."

"I've been thinking," Bella started. She picked her fork up, twisted it around between her fingers, and then placed it back on the edge of her plate. "I've been thinking _and_ discussing this with everyone I could possibly discuss it with, actually. Rose, Alice, Mike, Renee … I mean, it's only natural to have second thoughts about something like this, right? Especially when-"

"Bella, stop." I bit the inside of my lip to keep myself from laughing out loud. Her cheeks were flushed pink and I could tell her leg was shaking under the table.

She slapped her palm to her forehead and shook her head. "God, I'm rambling aren't it?" I nodded at her. "Okay, let me try this again." She took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. "I thought about it and I want us to live together."

I jumped up, knocking over my chair and dropping my napkin on the floor. "You want to live together?"

Bella stood up and grinned. "Yes. I'm scared shitless, but we need to do this."

I stepped forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her to me and wrapping my arms around her waist. "I'm scared shitless too, baby. I haven't lived with anyone else for almost a decade, but this just feels like it's the right thing to do."

She stood on her toes and gave me a peck on the lips. "We're going to fight you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Every couple fights. I don't think a relationship is healthy if there isn't some occasional fighting."

"I might make you sleep on the couch."

"If I could do it in LA, I can do it again. Besides, my couch is rather comfortable."

She stepped back. " _Your_ couch?"

I nodded.

"When did we decide to live here?"

I picked up my toppled chair and took a seat, sipping on my wine. "I guess I just assumed we'd move in here. I mean, there's plenty of extra space for your things and Central Park is right across the street. Plus you'd be closer to Alice and Rosalie."

Bella drummed her fingers on the edge of her wineglass. "Did moving into my place even cross your mind?"

"Well, um…" My voice trailed off and I looked down at the table. "Not exactly."

"Why am I not surprised?" Irritation hung from her words. "If we're really going to do this we need to have a discussion. It can't all be on your terms, Edward."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just got caught up in the excitement of thinking about it." I reached across the table and brushed my fingertips over the tops of her knuckles. "Do you want to keep your apartment?"

She shrugged. "I do love the place," she admitted. "It's cozy and the building is nice. Plus I know the neighborhood like the back of my hand."

"But…?" I could tell she wasn't sharing everything that was on her mind.

"But there's some work that needs to be done." She took a bite of her stir-fry and chewed thoughtfully. "The walls need painting and some of the fixtures could stand to be replaced. I could ask them to take care of that before I bought it, but I think that would only add more hassle to something that's already going to be enough of a challenge."

"I'm guessing you'd want to close on it and get these changes made before I moved in?"

Bella nodded. "Probably."

"Do you need some more time to think about this?"

"No, no, no. I'd rather make a decision now so I can give the owners a heads up."

"All this stuff," I gestured to the room around me, "is just that. Stuff. I can find places for it if we do this and decide to stick with your place. I don't want to pressure you either way, Bell."

"Would you get rid of this place if you moved in at mine?"

"Honestly? I don't think so. My intention is to buy this unit. I could always keep it as an investment property."

I watched the wheels spin behind Bella's eyes as we sat in silence. I crossed my fingers that she'd decide it was okay to settle down here. I truly didn't want to part with my apartment, and I wasn't looking forward to having to spend weeks working on whatever changes were needed at her place either.

I didn't expect us to move in together tomorrow, but I certainly didn't want it to take months either.

"I'll move in here," she said finally. I blinked several times, sure that I'd heard her incorrectly.

"What?"

"I'll move in here," she repeated.

"Really? It was that easy to decide?"

"I'm in love with your kitchen; and the rest of this building, to be honest. And as much as I love interior design projects, I don't feel like getting caught up in one for months. I'd much rather be able to just enjoy my time with you."

I narrowed my eyes and smirked. "You're in love with my kitchen, huh? I see how it is."

"I'm pretty sure you'd be in love with your kitchen too if you saw me in there wearing nothing but an apron when you came home from work one night." She winked mischievously.

"I hope you're not just talk, Ms. Swan." I watched as she stood and sauntered toward me. She grabbed my tie and tugged on it gently. I stood and followed her to the couch. She spun around and pushed me down, climbing on my lap and entwining her fingers in my hair.

"I talk the talk _and_ walk the walk." Bella dipped her head and pressed her lips against mine. I ran my tongue along her bottom lip before slipping it in her mouth and letting it glide against hers.

"Care to prove that?"

She laughed. "Oh, I'd be more than happy to prove that, Mr. Cullen." She slid off me and dropped to her knees, undoing my belt and slipping her hands inside my boxer briefs. She pulled my cock out and stroked it twice, then bent her head forward and ran her tongue around the tip. Looking up at me through long lashes, Bella wrapped her lips around my length and took me in her mouth. I let out a moan when I felt the head of my cock hit the back of her throat.

"My God, Bella." I slid my fingers in her hair and caressed the back of her head. Cupping my balls with one hand, she began a slow and steady rhythm, sucking me in on her upstroke and massaging my erection with her tongue each time she slid back down. I tipped my head back against the couch and closed my eyes, focusing my attention on the magic she was creating with her warm, wet mouth.

My legs were just starting to tremble when she released my cock with a pop and stood up. She slid her skirt and panties down and kicked them aside, crawling into my lap and grabbing me in her hand. She slid the head of my cock through her slick folds, biting down on her lip every time it passed over her clit.

"You're quite the tease," I murmured, unbuttoning her shirt and pushing it back onto her shoulders. Black lace greeted me, and I leaned forward and captured her nipple between my teeth. She groaned pushed her chest out toward me. I smiled against the thin fabric and used my hands to tug the straps of her bra down, freeing her perfect round breasts from their confines.

"You're calling me a tease?" she whispered, aligning my erection with her entrance. I resisted the urge to buck my hips up and used my tongue to draw a circle around one of her nipples instead.

"We're both teases." She sank down slowly, grabbing my face in her hands and forcing me to look at her once I was fully sheathed inside. She rocked forward ever so slightly and tipped her head down so her forehead rested against mine.

"I love you," she moaned, moving up and then sinking down slowly. I gripped her hips tightly, shifting my own so that the head of my cock rubbed against that special spot inside her each time she moved.

"I love you too."

She rested her forearms on my shoulders and tangled her fingers in my hair. The speed of her movements increased, and each time her skin met mine she swiveled her hips, creating desired friction for both of us.

"So close," she breathed, sweeping her lips against mine and looking in my eyes. I watched as desire and love flickered behind the chocolate colored orbs. I reached my hand between us and pressed the pad of my thumb against her clit, rubbing small, tight circles around the wet and swollen nub.

"Fall for me, Bella," I said, increasing the pressure of my thumb.

"I fell for you a long time ago, Edward."

"Fall for me again, baby." I ran my nose across her cheek and nibbled on her earlobe. When I felt her body begin to tremble, I pinched her clit between my fingers and watched as she came undone.

"Edward," she moaned, dropping her forehead to my shoulder and tugging on my hair. Her walls clenched around me and a series of soft cries fell from her lips.

"I love you," I groaned as my own release hit me, closing my eyes and tipping my head back as familiar feelings of euphoria washed over me.

"I love you too." Bella lifted her head and pressed her lips against mine softly. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her to me, resting my chin on top of her head.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, willing my body to relax as Bella melted against me. I wasn't sure how long we stayed in that position before one of us finally moved, but our dinner was cold when we made it back to the table.

Neither of us spoke as we finished our meal in our half-clothed states. Instead, we drank one another in with our eyes, shared thoughts with coy smiles, and opted to head straight to bed instead up cleaning anything up.

We fell asleep in each others arms that night. Bella's head rested against my chest, and wayward strands of soft, floral-scented brown hair tickled my bare skin. Her breaths were low and even, lulling me to sleep.

I had no doubt in my mind that living with Bella would exceed every expectation I had in me.

**-=- HC -=-**

My parents were thrilled when I invited them to join Bella and I for lunch the next day.

Esme was even more thrilled when Bella presented then with an invitation to Victoria's gala.

"Oh, sweetheart, you really don't have to do this." She scanned the paper's contents and looked up at my girlfriend. "I've never gone to any of her parties before."

"Nonsense." Bella waved her hand nonchalantly. "You were the first couple I thought of when Alice's mother told me they'd reserved a second table."

Esme looked excitedly at Carlisle. "What do you say?"

My dad just shrugged and smirked. "Do I even have a say?"

My mom laughed and shook her head. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Okay, enough of the sap show." I opened the passenger door on my car and gestured for my mom to get in. "My stomach is ready to start eating itself."

"Oh, Edward, didn't you eat breakfast?" Esme patted my cheek and slid into the car. A minute later we were headed back to Manhattan.

"He never eats breakfast," Bella remarked.

"Hey, I woke up late," I said in my own defense.

Esme rolled her eyes. "Some things never change."

My slightly crazy driving got us to the restaurant in record time, and I ordered up a side of French fries along with my soda.

"Geeze, from the outside one might think you hadn't eaten in weeks," Bella teased.

I pushed my stomach out and patted it. "This bad boy needs its nourishment."

While we all browsed the menu and eventually placed our orders, I contemplated how to go about announcing our news to Carlisle and Esme. Both of them adored Bella and I knew they'd be happy for us, but I was afraid my mom was literally going to launch through the ceiling and create an unprecedented scene.

"What's got you thinking so hard over there, son?"

I glanced up at my dad and smiled. "Actually, I need to tell you two something." Bella nudged me with her elbow and I smirked. "Bella and I need to tell you something."

"Wait, wait, let me guess." My mom set down her water glass and fixed Bella with a thoughtful stare. After a minute a smile lit her face and she snapped her fingers. "You're pregnant!"

"Mom…"

"Esme, what are you thinking? They aren't even married for heaven's sake!"

She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "It's 2012, Carlisle, not 1950. People have kids out of wedlock all the time."

"Not this woman," Bella piped up, effectively silencing both my mom and dad. "I'm not pregnant; not even close."

"No, she's not," I added. Carlisle heaved what I assumed was a sigh of relief.

"What's the news then?" Esme asked with a pout.

I glanced at Bella, who reached over and squeezed my knee. I took a deep breath and looked at my parents. "Bella and I are moving in together."

My mom jumped up, ran around the table, and flung her arms around Bella's neck. "This is great news!"

"Congrats," my dad said, reaching across the table and giving me a fist bump. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Where did an old man like you learn a move like that?"

"Old man?" He threw his hand over his heart. "That hurt, Edward. And your young, happening best friend was kind enough to show me that move."

"This calls for a bottle of wine." Esme sat back down and flagged over the waiter. "When did you decide on this?"

"Just last night," I explained. "We discussed it when we first got back from the book tour and decided we needed some time to think."

"That's the way to do it," Carlisle said. The waiter arrived and poured four glasses of wine. "Weigh the pros and cons, think about what's already gone on in your relationship, and then come to a decision."

"Well, if Edward had his way I would have moved in the night we had the talk," Bella joked. I felt my cheeks redden.

"Aw, look at you Edward, so smitten." Esme held her glass up and the rest of us did the same. "To your future."

We drank our wine and continued the conversation. By the time we were ready to return home, Esme and Bella had worked out a new decorating scheme for my entire apartment. I was preparing to put a wrench in their plans when my dad tapped my shoulder.

"Don't bother protesting," he whispered, nodding toward the two ladies who were still busy chatting in the back seat. "If you're lucky they'll both get too caught up in the excitement of the move itself to remember they even had this discussion."

"I can only hope."

"I heard that!" Bella smacked the back of my head playfully.

"When is this move happening?" Carlisle asked.

"Sometime before the end of May" I explained. "Bella still needs to give notice to vacate at her place. Plus this White party is a lot of work, so it'll be easier to coordinate after it's all said and done."

Esme leaned forward in her seat. "Have you told anyone else?"

Bella shook her head. "You two are the first to know."

"We're telling Bella's parents tonight," I explained.

"This is just so fabulous! Carlisle, isn't this fabulous?"

"Absolutely fabulous," he mocked, earning himself a swat from Esme.

Bella's eyes met mine in the rearview and we both grinned.

One set of parents down.

Now we just had Charlie Swan to go.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I flipped on my apartment lights and dropped my overnight bag on the floor along with my purse. I headed to the living room, kicking my shoes and socks off along the way. The letter from my landlord sat on my coffee table in the exact spot I'd left it when I went to Edward's. I grabbed it and sat down on an armchair.

I was going to wait until Monday morning to call the couple that owned my unit, but on my way home I decided that I wanted to get it over and done with. I was crazy excited about moving, but worried that if I had more time to contemplate everything I'd chicken out and change my mind.

_You can't change your mind, Bella. Renee and Esme would kill you._

"Charlie wouldn't complain," I said to myself.

Even though he wasn't a huge fan of our idea, my dad had taken it better than I thought he would…

" _Your mother told me the news," he'd said on the phone earlier that morning._

" _I was going to tell you myself, but you weren't home when Edward and I called last night."_

_Silence hung on the line._

" _How mad are you?"_

" _I'm not," he said finally._

" _Excuse me? Who are you and what have you done with my father?"_

_He laughed. "I'm not a monster, Bella. I'm just a concerned father."_

" _You really don't have to be concerned, dad. I thought you realized that after you met Edward."_

" _I like the guy," he admitted. "But I can't help but worry, Bell. Living together is a big commitment. You've never done that with a man before."_

" _I stayed with Ben."_

" _You still had your own apartment though. Can't you keep your apartment this time around?"_

" _Are you going to pay the rent for me? Because I can't afford to pay for both."_

" _Where do I send the check?" he joked. I rolled my eyes and sank down on Edward's bed._

" _C'mon, Charlie. Be happy for me."_

" _I am happy for you." He was silent for a moment before continuing. "I just have a hard time trusting people's intentions. Especially when those intentions involve my wife or my daughter."_

" _Do you trust me?"_

" _Of course."_

" _Then trust that I'm making the right decision."_

_If I closed my eyes and concentrated hard I could almost hear him scratching his chin on the other end of the line._

" _I like Edward," he finally admitted. "I said I'd give the guy a chance and so far he hasn't done anything to disappoint me. I just hope this move doesn't change that."_

" _It won't," I assured him, although even I couldn't be absolutely sure. Nothing was ever set in stone, no matter how much we wanted it to be._

" _Well you have my best wishes."_

" _Thank you," I whispered._

" _I love you, Bell."_

" _I love you too, dad."_

I allowed myself to stare at the letter for a few more minutes before I dialed the number up on my phone. I took a deep breath and hit the send button.

"Hello?"

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Gary," I squeaked out. "It's Isabella Swan."

"Swan, Swan… oh, yes! From the Midtown property, right?"

"Yes, from the Midtown property." I placed the letter back on the table and stood, running my fingers through my hair nervously. "I'm calling in regards to the letter I received about the apartment."

"Oh, yes. We're sad to have to let the place go, but it's just not feasible for us to own it anymore."

"I imagine it's hard to keep on top of things when you're a thousand miles away."

"Very hard," the older gentleman said. "I'm guessing you had a chance to consider what was offered in the letter?"

"Yes, sir, and I've reached a decision." I pinched the bridge of my nose, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. "I'd like to put in my notice to vacate."

"Vacate? Really?" He sounded surprised. "Edith and I were sure you'd decide to stay."

"Six months ago yes, but I have another option that's more appropriate right now."

"Well, you certainly need to do what's best for you." I could hear the shuffling of papers in the background. "Do you plan on staying through June?"

"No, sir." Edward thought I needed ample time to recuperate after the White party. I, on the other hand, wanted to get everything over with as soon as possible. "I'll be out by May fifteenth."

"Are you sure you don't need some more time to prepare?"

"No, this will be just fine."

"Well, alright then." He cleared his throat. "If you have a fax number I can send you the documents I need signed by you."

I rattled off my office information and wrapped the conversation up. When I ended the call, I tossed my phone on the coffee table and flopped down on the sofa.

Adrenaline and anxiety coursed through me. I couldn't wait to tell the girls what I'd just done. For the first time in twenty-nine years, I was moving in with a boyfriend and really starting to build a life with someone.

Half of me was hella excited.

The other half was insanely scared.

And while small slivers of uncertainty still clouded my thoughts, one thing was certain:

There was no turning back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe I may have underestimated in thinking there were only 5 or 6 regular chapters left here. There will probably be a bit more than that. And then the epilogues of course.
> 
> Some thanks are in order here:
> 
> Hot Commodity was nominated in three categories in the Fandom Choice Awards: Best All Human, Best Quote, and Best Friendship. If You Only Knew was also nominated for Best Drama, and somehow I ended up on the nomination list for Best Author. THANK YOU to whoever is responsible for those nominations. The fanfic world is HUGE, so most of the time I feel like a small fish paddling around in a ginormous sea. You have no idea how much I appreciate things like this, and no idea how thankful I am for each and every one of you out there reading this and my other stories. You're an amazing group of individuals and I consider myself lucky to be able to call myself part of this particular fanfic family. :)
> 
> Chloe Masen's story, Say Goodbye, was also nominated in the FCAs. Not only is CM one of my bestest friends in this fandom, but she's an incredibly talented writer as well. I would urge everyone to head over and check her stuff out. You won't be disappointed, I promise.
> 
> Thank you to the lovely Rose Arcadia for pimping this story and rec'ing it. Your support and friendship are invaluable.
> 
> I think that about wraps it up for now.
> 
> I'll see you guys back here in a little over a week!
> 
> xo


	27. All Good Things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing was the last thing on my mind while I took a little birthday vacation a few weeks back, but here we are and here comes a new chapter!
> 
> Surprisingly enough I don't have a lot to say here. There will be a bit at the end though, so check there after you read.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who is still here, and to all those who have recently joined! I hope you enjoy this ride as much as I enjoy crafting it. :)
> 
> Chapter Song: Our Lives by the Calling.
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. All the good things here belong to me.

**Edward's POV**

I was on my way to meet Bella for a late dinner when an idea hit me.

Even though the bet was off, I had yet to return Jasper's Hamptons key to him. I knew he'd probably forgotten about it, but I didn't feel right keeping it.

I did, however, want to take Bella away for a few days after the White party. She would need some time to wind down and relax, and Jasper's place seemed like the perfect place for her to do just that.

"This is Whitlock," Jasper answered with his usual greeting. I rolled my eyes and cracked a half-smile. Someday he'd embrace the concept of using caller ID to tailor his greetings.

"This is Whitlock," I spat back sarcastically.

"If I had a nickel for every time you tried – unsuccessfully – to insult me I'd be a rich man."

"Har har har. I know you're probably busy with Alice, but I wanted to run something by you."

"Not a problem. What's up?"

"Remember when you gave me the key to the Hamptons place? Back when we had our disagreement over the bet and everything?"

"Oh yes, I remember that day very well." Jasper paused momentarily before continuing. "I hope you don't think I gave you the only key to that place. I'm a generous guy, but not that generous."

I laughed. "No, man, I would never expect you to do something like that. In all honesty, I keep planning on giving it back and then I keep forgetting." I fumbled with the buttons on my coat and cleared my throat. "Anyhow, this might be a bit much to ask, but do you think I could use the house next week? I want to take Bella out-of-town after the White party wraps so she has a chance to relax before jumping into the moving thing."

"Absolutely, man. I don't see any problem with that."

I heaved a silent sigh of relief and gave myself a fist pump. "Thanks so much, Jasper. I'll get the key back to you after we return to the city."

"You know what, don't even worry about it. Keep the key and use the house when you want. I have no problem with that as long as you give me a heads up."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "Wow, thanks. You know you don't have to do that, right?"

"I know, but really, it's the least I can do. I'm the ass that suggested that stupid bet in the first place."

"And I'm the ass who tried to keep it going even when you suggested we stop. I'd say that puts us on an even playing field." Silence followed my statement and soon became awkward.

"At the risk of sounding like a complete pussy, I'm really happy for you and Bella. I wasn't sure what would happen during that book tour."

"Neither was I." Heartfelt conversations weren't my forte, even though I'd had more than one with Bella over the course of our coupling. I decided a change of subject was in order. "Speaking of Bella, I might need to enlist you and Emmett to help with her move."

"She's not hiring movers?"

"I offered to pay for them," I explained, chuckling internally when I thought about the look of disapproval Bella gave me at my suggestion. "You know Bella. She could be the wealthiest person in the tri-state area and she'd still insist on doing everything without convenience."

"Well at least we know she'll be a good influence on you," Jasper joked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I glanced down at my watch. "I should go before I'm late. The Queen of Modesty is meeting me for dinner."

"Have fun! I'll see you tomorrow at Emmett's, right?"

"Of course. The Rangers are in the playoffs now, aren't they?"

"You know it. My dad is coming too, so if you want to invite Carlisle you can."

"Sure. He'd like that." I stepped out of the car and waved the driver on. "I'll see you around seven?"

"Sounds good." We hung up and I stuffed my phone down in the pocket of my jeans. Bella stood next to the restaurant's door, puffing on an electronic cigarette and watching the people who walked by.

"Sorry I'm late." I leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. She smiled at me and dropped the electric stick in her purse.

"You're not late. I was just exceptionally early." She turned and pulled the restaurant door open. "After you, sir."

I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Say that again."

"What?" She looked innocently up at me, but I could see the spark of mischief in her eye. " _Sir_?"

I slapped her ass playfully and laughed. "Don't tease me like that when you can't deliver."

"Who said anything about not being able to deliver?" She grabbed my hand and followed me inside. "There is a bathroom in here you know."

"A bathroom? I think we're a little classier of a couple than that," I answered once we were seated.

"Meh," she said with a shrug. "I've been known to release my inner wild child when I'm in the right mood."

"Well, by all means, please let me know if that mood ever hits." I took in my surroundings and smiled. The Old Town Bar had a certain charm to it that most establishments in Manhattan were lacking. It had been around since the late 1800s and was a speak-easy at one point. I'd heard my uncles discuss it at random family gatherings through the years, but this was the first time I'd ever experienced it myself.

"The menu isn't extravagant, but the burgers are delicious," Bella explained as the waitress made her way over. Once we'd both placed our order I decided it was a good time to ask her about going to the Hamptons.

"Eight more days and you're free from any big projects."

She sighed and smiled. "I know. Until Alice finds me another one, that is."

"What if one of your other clients wanted some of your time?"

She cocked her head to the side and arched an eyebrow. "Do you know of a specific one who's in need?"

"I just might." I rested my elbows on the table and cupped my chin with my hands. "How do you feel about taking a few days away from the city after the White party?"

"I'm open to ideas. What do you have in mind?"

"Jasper said I could use his Hamptons place anytime. I was thinking we could head out there Sunday morning and stay until Wednesday or Thursday." I saw the look of skepticism in her eyes and continued. "It's only three days and I already checked with Alice to make sure it was okay."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"It's completely spur of the moment."

Bella took a big bite of her burger and chewed it up, keeping her eyes locked with mine the entire time. "Count me in."

"Great!" I popped a few fries in my mouth and grinned.

"You know, I've never been to the Hamptons. What can I expect?"

"Well, it's the off-season, so the beaches and places like that are closed, but they do have some spas, a couple different vineyards, some bars, and shopping of course."

"The spa sounds heavenly." Bella reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "You're too good to me. You know that?"

"I do believe it's the other way around. Except you're far too good _for_ me on top of things."

"I can't argue with that," she teased, sticking her tongue out at me. "Did you pick up your suit for the party yet?"

I nodded. "I took care of that yesterday. Let's just hope you don't have a sparkling beverage crisis during this function."

"Hey, that was Rosalie's problem, not mine!" She slapped my arm. "I was just the lucky woman who ended up having to try to fix it."

"And fix it you did – _we_ did."

Her expression grew serious. "That was the night I realized I still wanted to try this with you."

"In that case, I'm glad it played out the way it did, cheesecake shortage and all." I flagged the waitress over so we could get our check. "We're at your place this weekend, right?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Do you mind stopping at my place so I can pick my stuff up?"

"Not at all." Bella pulled her electric cigarette out again while I paged the driver.

"Just think, after next month neither of us will have to make pit stops on Friday nights anymore."

"I know. It'll be so nice." She stood on her toes and pressed her lips against mine.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me, realizing for what must have been the thousandth time just how lucky of a man I was.

After my conversation with Jasper I felt like the bet was one-hundred percent behind me.

Some alone time with my girl in the Hamptons loomed before me.

And my future with Bella – a future that was wide open and full of possibilities – had settled itself nicely on the distant horizon.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The week before Victoria's party was filled with complete insanity.

On Monday I accidentally deleted the file on my computer that contained the guest list for the party. Luckily I had kept a back up hard copy in the White file, but it still didn't save me from shedding sweat and tears before I stumbled upon the document.

On Tuesday I left my phone sitting on the seat in the subway.

On Wednesday the catering manager from the Waldorf called to tell me that their kitchen supplier had an outbreak of salmonella in their chicken, and as a result we'd need to make some last-minute menu changes.

On Thursday I ended up tripping while getting off the subway, landing myself in Mount Sinai with a broken wrist and wasting an entire day that could have been spent dealing with other crises.

By Friday I was dreading what the weekend would bring. Fortunately the workday passed with no major mishaps, and I crossed my fingers in hopes that my short-lived streak of luck would carry over to the party the following night.

I was exhausted when I got home from work that night. My feet hurt, my wrist had started to ache, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and fall asleep. My Type-A personality wouldn't let me off the hook so easily, however, so I meandered into my kitchen and began making a cup of tea. Once it was ready, I grabbed a stack of papers from the counter and headed for the living room.

As I flipped through the paperwork from my landlords, a spark of excitement shot through me. This was the first step in making everything Edward and I had planned real. Despite the overwhelming sense of nervousness I continued to feel, my anticipation was growing, which also meant my eagerness to prepare everything was growing as well.

"That should do it," I said to myself, signing my name in the last marked spot. I double checked everything before stuffing the papers into a brown envelope, addressing it, and throwing on the right number of stamps.

I took a gulp of my tea and glanced over at the stack of boxes in the corner. Packing anything was going to be next to impossible with the damn wrist brace. _Perhaps I'll have to take Edward up on his offer to hire movers_ , I thought.

I was in the process of attempting to fold one of the boxes when there was a knock at my door. Edward wasn't coming over this weekend and Rose and Alice were both busy tonight. I glanced through the peephole and was surprised when I found my boyfriend's mother staring back at me. "Esme?" I asked, pulling the door opening and moving aside so she could come in.

"I'm sorry to drop by unannounced." She set a Dean and Deluca bag down on the hall table and shrugged out of her coat. "Edward told me what happened to your wrist, and I wanted to see if you needed some help with anything around here. I even brought dinner," she said, pointing to the bag.

I smiled. "That's very thoughtful of you." She grabbed our food and made a beeline for my kitchen. I watched on as she made herself at home, flitting around the room and dishing up food. Within minutes we were seated at the table.

"Where did you get this? It's delicious," I said, gesturing to the spinach and strawberry salad in front of me.

"It comes straight from the Cullen kitchen."

"You made this?"

"I love to cook," she explained. "I'm lucky if I get ten minutes to myself when the busy season rolls around. Every second I spend in my kitchen is a second I cherish."

"Every second you spend in there is paying off." I took a giant bite of salad and closed my eyes.

"It 's not that hard to make," Esme chuckled. "And Edward would never admit this, but it's one of his favorites."

"I'll have to remember that." I winked and resumed eating. Once we were finished, Esme insisted I go relax while she cleaned up. I felt guilty just sitting around, so when she found me in the living room fifteen minutes later I was once again busy trying to assemble the moving box.

"Honey, what on earth are you doing?" Esme grabbed my good wrist and tugged at it gently. "Take a seat and let me do that for you."

"Really, you don't have to-"

She placed her index finger over my lips, hushing me. "I know I don't have to, but I _want_ to. There's a difference." She pulled her hand back and grabbed a nearby roll of packing tape. "Besides, you and I haven't had any alone time together, and I'm dying to get to know more about the woman who caught my son's eye."

Realizing I would never win this battle, I flopped down on my love seat and tucked my legs beneath me. Esme taped up the box I'd started and assembled another five after that. I watched as she filled the empty cardboard shells with books, pictures, and other small items from the living room and dining room areas. Our conversation was pleasant and focused mostly on Edward.

"You didn't happen to bring any embarrassing baby pictures with, did you?"

Laughter filled the room. "No, but I'll mark that down for next time. I'm sure you're going to need more than one night of help getting this place ready to go."

"Your son should be the one here helping," I pointed out. "What kind of man makes his mother pack his gimp girlfriend's apartment on a Friday night?"

"The kind who has a mother who volunteers to come pack her son's gimp girlfriend's apartment on a Friday night." She stuck her tongue out at me and held up a DVD. "Jersey Shore? I expected more from you, Bella."

"We can't all be perfect," I quipped.

By the time nine thirty rolled around we had ten boxes packed and stacked against the wall.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat – and pack, believe it or not – my husband is probably wondering where I ran off to."

I looked at the clock on the wall and my eyes grew big. "I had no idea it was this late! He's not going to be upset is he?"

"Bella, Bella, Bella." Esme reached out and patted my arm. "The Cullen men are very laid back. My husband doesn't mind if I'm gone, he just worries when I space out on communicating my whereabouts."

"Gotcha." I helped her put away the packing supplies and followed her to the door. "Thank you so much for everything, Esme. I hope you realize I fully plan on repaying you when I'm not stuck in this cast anymore."

She waved her hand dismissively. "No repaying me for anything. Although I'm never one to turn down a free cocktail…"

"Dinner and drinks it is then!" I wrapped my functional arm around her in a hug. "Thank you again."

"You're very welcome." She headed out the door, but turned around in the hall. "Edward is happier than I've seen him in a very long while. Thank you for helping him find that."

I blushed and nodded my acknowledgment. Esme stepped forward and gave me one last hug before setting off down the hall.

I found myself smiling as I locked the door and went around the apartment turning off lights and picking up odd and end objects. Esme's company was nice, even though unexpected and seemingly unnecessary to me. Of course I always thought I was fine to do everything on my own regardless of my physical health, so admitting I might need help and then accepting it when offered were big things.

When I was in bed that night, I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.

Soon I'd be falling asleep next to Edward.

Soon I'd be eating Esme's cooking on a regular basis.

Soon I'd be settling down and starting a new chapter of my life there in the big city.

**-=-HC-=-**

Despite the chaos of the previous week, everything fell nicely into place when the night of the White party rolled around. The guest list was updated, the menu was successfully altered, and the hotel's grand ballroom was lavishly decorated, just as Victoria had requested.

"This is spectacular!" Alice appeared at my side, crossing her arms over her chest and taking in the sight around her. "Another perfectly executed event."

"It's not executed yet, " I reminded her. "Victoria still needs to give me her seal of approval before the guests arrive."

"Ms. Swan?" One of the hotel managers approached us.

"Yes?"

"Would you like us to put the items for the silent auction on display now, or wait until a later time?"

I shook my head. "We're going to display them after dinner is complete."

"I'll instruct my staff to bring them out at that time."

"Thank you so much." I watched as the older gentleman barked out instructions to a group of employees.

"Bella!" I turned to find a smiling Victoria walking toward me. "Everything looks just as I pictured it! It's perfection!"

"I wouldn't go _that_ far-"

"Well I would." Victoria squeezed me against her in a hug before turning to Alice. "I can't thank you enough for setting me up with her! You weren't lying when you said she was fabulous."

"I better be careful or her reputation will start to precede her." Alice winked at me.

"Have you ever considered branching out and doing event planning in addition to public relations?" Victoria placed a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side.

I looked over at Alice and shrugged. "We haven't been in the industry long enough to really consider expanding."

"Oh, please!" The pretty redhead waved her hand dismissively. "A year in any industry is long enough in this city."

"It's a big venture. I'm not sure we have the time – or the assets, in all honesty – to take on such a big task right now," Alice said.

"Allow me to let you in on a little secret." Victoria gestured for the two of us to come closer to her, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I'm confident enough in your abilities that I'd loan you the capital to expand."

Alice's eyes grew wide. "You can't be serious?"

Victoria simply smiled. "Keep that thought in the back of your mind." She looked over the top of our heads and waved at someone. "Now, if you'll excuse me it looks like the guests have started to arrive."

A familiar head of blonde hair caught my eye as I watched Victoria saunter across the room. Mike waved furiously at me, looking like an idiot. I shook my head and started to head toward our table, but Alice grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"We need to discuss this when you get back from the Hamptons."

"Victoria's offer?"

"Yes!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "I think she's on to something, Bell. Promise me you'll entertain the idea?"

"I promise I'll entertain the idea," I said, smiling and tugging my arm away. "Right now I'd like to get to the table before Mike's arm falls off and anyone realizes he's with us."

Alice laughed. "He's sitting with us, genius. I think they'll know."

"Then let's rescue Edward." We looked over at my boyfriend, who was sandwiched between Mike and Laurent in some awkward form of a hug. I shook my head and sighed.

"You better get your hot ass moving before he starts batting for the other team." Alice gave my behind a playful slap.

"I think he's got a pretty good contract with his current team." I winked and headed toward our friends.

"What the hell were you two gossiping about?" Mike crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes.

"Actually, we were discussing the likelihood of Edward checking out the grass on your side of the fence … if you know what I mean." Alice wiggled her eyebrows mischievously and rounded the table to where Jasper stood.

"Unless the world turns upside down and he ditches this vixen," Laurent nodded in my direction, "I don't think he'll be inspecting any grass from this pasture."

"Why are we talking about pastures?" Emmett joined the group looking confused as ever.

"We're talking about Edward being gay," Mike said matter-of-factly.

Emmett choked on his drink. "Edward is _what_?"

"Stop!" Edward threw his hands in the air and looked down at his feet. His cheeks were red with what I assumed to be irritation, but I could see the corner of his mouth threatening to turn up in a smile.

"Perhaps we should all take a seat," Rose suggested. "I think they'll be serving dinner soon, right Bell?"

I nodded. "Right." We arranged ourselves by couple and soon several mini conversations broke out.

"Mike is lucky Rosalie saved him," Edward whispered in my ear. "One more comment and I probably would have clocked him."

"Saved by the Smith. Who would have imagined," I joked. Edward laughed and leaned down to kiss my cheek.

"You look breathtaking tonight." My cheeks warmed with a blush.

"Thank you." His fingers trailed down my neck and over my bare shoulder. Goosebumps peppered my skin and an electric current buzzed beneath the surface.

"This party is fantastic!" Rose smiled at me from across the table. "Now I know what you've been doing every time you declined an invitation to go shopping."

"She even added sparkling grape juice to the menu for you, Pregasaurus," Alice pointed out.

"I saw that – and appreciate it." Rose winked and held up her glass. "To the end of morning sickness."

"I'll toast to that!" Emmett picked up his drink and clanked it against Rosalie's gently.

She turned and glared at him while he took a large sip. "You weren't even the sick one."

"No, but I was the one who got to hold your hair back and clean up after you on several occasions."

"Hey, that only happened twice!"

"Try three times," Emmett corrected. "One of which was at my parent's house of all places."

"You seriously kept track?" Rose swatted his arm and dropped her forehead down on his shoulder.

"You know it, baby." He ran his fingers through her hair and laughed. "And I fully intend on using the information the next time you tell me you're not here to be my mother when I'm sick."

"That's completely different!"

"He shook his head. "Nah, not really."

"Bella, tell him it's not the same."

I held my hands up and leaned back. "I call Team Switzerland in this discussion."

Rose flipped me off and stuck out her tongue. "Bitch."

I blew her a kiss and laughed while Edward and Emmett simply shook their heads. Soon after our dinner was served and the conversation slowed while we all ate.

"A little bird told me there would be dancing after dinner," Edward said when our plates were cleared.

"Is that so?" I looked over my shoulder at where the brass quintet was setting up. "I didn't know dancing was your thing."

"I've been known to have a few good moves." He brushed some hair behind my ear. "And there's still plenty of things you don't know about me. That's what makes this so exciting."

The quintet started playing the beginning of "Bohemian Rhapsody," causing both Alice and me to get excited. I stood up and grabbed Edward's hand. "C'mon, Cullen. Time to show off your moves."

I pulled Edward onto the dance floor and started shimmying around awkwardly. I never claimed to be a good dancer, and I wasn't trying to impress anyone with my moves. I just wanted to unwind and have a fun night after all the work I'd been putting in.

The song changed to "La Bamba" and soon the rest of our friends had joined us on the dance floor. I couldn't help but laugh as Edward spun me around in circles.

In that moment I wished it were possible to freeze a memory and permanently imprint every part of it in my brain.

The sounds of the quintet mingled with the sounds of my friends' laughter.

Smiles on our faces and the faces of the people at nearby tables watching us.

The feel of Edward's lips brushing against mine as he dipped me down and kissed me.

All the people who brought joy to my life were there in that moment.

Victoria might have thought the party was perfect, but I had to disagree.

It wasn't the party that made my night perfect; it was the amazing company.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"This is some party." Emmett said, joining me on the edge of the dance floor.

"Bella did good." I looked over at my friend. "Where did your date disappear to?"

"She took off to the bathroom with yours. Pregnancy bladder and all that stuff."

I laughed. "I'll never understand the group restroom break mentality."

Emmett looked out on the dance floor and took a sip of his brandy. "I haven't danced this much since my high school prom."

"I know what you mean." My eyes followed his gaze. Dinner had ended a few hours earlier and some of the guests were clearly starting to enjoy the benefits of the cash bar. A fast-paced dance song was playing and dozens of people where shimmying every which direction in front of us.

"Is this the first time you met the Ericksons?"

I nodded. "Alice's dad travels a lot, so this was the first opportunity we had to get together with them."

"They seem like a nice couple."

"Even if they weren't nice I'd still be grateful." I tipped back my beer and grinned. "I'm so far gone when it comes to their daughter that it isn't even funny."

"From the looks of it, all three of us are equally smitten." Emmett glanced back out at the dance floor where Edward was twirling Bella in circles playfully. When the dance music stopped and a slow song started up, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, planting a kiss on her lips and then resting his chin on top of her head contentedly.

"Did you ever think you'd be saying that?"

"Saying what? That we're _all_ smitten?" Emmett looked over at me and I nodded. "No, I guess I never did. I was thoroughly convinced that Edward's heart was made of stone."

I couldn't help but laugh. "There was always a soft spot buried in there. It just took the right woman to unearth it."

"He's lucky Bella was willing to look past all his bullshit." Emmett took another swig off his drink and shook his head. "There aren't many women out there who would be willing to take him on as a client after his original performance, let alone enter into an actual relationship with him."

"Bella is a unique woman."

"All three of these women are unique." We both cracked up at that statement.

I nudged my friend's elbow and held my beer in the air. "To wayward bets that end up working out for the best." We clanked glasses and went back to watching Edward and Bella on the dance floor.

"I'm not sure Edward ever even looked at Jessica that way," Emmett said after a few minutes.

"I know."

"From the looks of things, you and Edward didn't even need to make that bet to get her to fall for him."

I was about to respond when it happened.

"What did you just say?"

I knew who the voice belonged to before I even turned around. Of course when I did, a frightening sight greeted me.

Rosalie's cheeks were flaming red and her nostrils were doing that awkward flaring thing they always did when she got pissed. Her eyes were narrowed, her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, and if looks could kill Emmett and I would have both been dead minutes earlier.

"I asked you a question."

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Um..."

_Oh shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... did you hear that? I think it was the sound of the other shoe dropping! O_O
> 
> I'm sorry to those of you who I didn't give an answer to regarding whether or not the bet would be revealed. I've obviously known since I started writing how this was going to play out, but I didn't want to spoil it for anyone.
> 
> Now, before you start throwing things at me and chasing me through the streets with torches and pitchforks, please just trust in me. Trust in them.
> 
> THANK YOU so much to everyone who voted for Hot Commodity in the Fandom Choice Awards! The story won third place in the Best Quote and Best Friendship categories.
> 
> I do have a Facebook group where we discuss this story and my other writing. There's a lovely group of ladies there and we'd love to have some more. Send me a PM over there if you're interested. I'm Blu Eyed Cherry on that social network.
> 
> Buckle up ... the last leg of this ride has officially begun. ;)
> 
> xo


	28. Truth and Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient. I appreciate it more than you know.
> 
> RL is crazy, I'm going a bit crazy, and there's a new, large project in the works involving my OF that's consuming much more time than I imagined. It'll be worth it though. And I can't wait until I can share more with everyone. :)
> 
> There weren't too many pitchforks or torches last time, although I was surprised to see the variety of wishes for Edward's future. I obviously can't please everyone, but I hope you enjoy what lies ahead.
> 
> Thanks to WitchyVampGirl for pre-reading parts of this bad boy for me. And for quelling my insecurities over lunch. I love you much my dear.
> 
> There'll be a wee bit more at the end.
> 
> Chapter Song: Trouble by Butch Walker
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. The rest of this insanity belongs to me.

**Alice's POV**

I pounded my fist against Rose's door for the third time, looking helplessly over my shoulder at Jasper.

"She just called a half hour ago! Where do you think they went?"

He stifled a yawn and shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. "Maybe they fell back asleep?"

I shook my head. "Rose never calls me this early unless it's something important. I don't think she's sleeping." I raised my hand to knock again but the door flew open.

"I was in the shower," Rose explained, moving aside so we could enter. I kicked off my shoes and headed for the living room. Emmett sat on the loveseat in his pajama pants, hair sticking up all over and sleep brimming his eyes. Jasper crossed the room and sat next to him, resting his elbows on his knees and dropping his head to his hands.

"What's going on?" I asked when Rose joined us.

"Rose, I-"

"Shut up, Emmett!" She balled her hands into fists and began pacing back and forth across the room.

"Is this really necessary?" Jasper looked warily at her.

"Alice, you might want to sit down."

I frowned. "You're five months pregnant, Rose. You should be the one sitting down."

"I'm too angry to sit down." She turned to look at me and I sank onto the nearest open seat.

"Couldn't this have waited until later in the afternoon at least?" Emmett fixed his eyes on Rose. "We were out until almost three last night, babe."

"Thanks to you two I got no sleep at all last night." Rose glanced back and forth between Emmett and Jasper before finally taking a seat on the edge of the sofa. "There's no point in dragging this out any longer. I want to hear the whole story – _every_ detail – from the beginning. I don't care who tells it, but one of you better start talking."

I furrowed my brows in confusion and held up a hand. "Put the brakes on here, please. I have no clue what's going on. What story are we hearing? And why are you so angry?"

She turned to face me. "You remember our bathroom break last night?" I stared at Rose blankly. We'd taken about five different bathroom breaks. "The one we took right after everyone started dancing?" I nodded, mentally pinpointing which one she was referring to. "While you stopped to get a drink on the way back to find these two," Rose waved her hand in the direction of the guys, "I happened to overhear the end of a rather disturbing conversation. It involved Bella, Edward, and some sort of bet."

"Oh God," I groaned, rolling my eyes and looking over at Jasper. "You two aren't dragging her into your stupid fantasy sports leagues now are you? Don't get me wrong, I'm all about women loving that stuff, I just can't see-"

"A bet on _Bella_ , Alice, not a sports game," Rose clarified.

"A bet on Bella?" I was still confused. "I don't understand. Were you guys skeptical about her wanting to live with Edward, or…?"

Jasper pressed his fingers against his temples and shook his head. "No, it was nothing like that."

"What was it then?" I pressed.

Emmett leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "This is all yours to tell, Whitlock. I just got dragged along for the ride."

"Bullshit. You had the chance to out us all months ago and you chose not to."

"God damnit, SHUT UP!" Rose's cheeks flushed with emotion. "I didn't call you over here at this time of day so I could watch the two of you bicker like five year olds. Jasper, just tell us what the fuck is going on."

He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and took a deep breath. "I'm sure everyone remembers the first night Edward and Bella met. I'm sure everyone also remembers how obnoxious Edward was at that point, especially toward women."

"You can say that again," Emmett mumbled.

"It took him a little – or shall I say, a _lot_ – off guard when Bella doused his phone with champagne instead of falling all over him. He was so used to getting whatever single woman he set his eyes on that it jarred him when one finally refused his advances."

Jasper's eyes met mine and I felt a lump begin to form in my throat. His expression was filled with guilt, sadness, and a certain degree of admission; for what I still didn't know, but I guessed I'd find out any minute.

"Alice, I swear I would go back and do that whole night over if I could. I never knew you and I would end up here together, and I never wanted to hurt anyone." He looked down at his hands and took another deep breath. "We'd both been drinking and at the time I thought it would be funny to set Edward up to fail. So, I proposed we make a bet. If Edward got Bella to fall in love with him then he got my new Hamptons place. If he didn't get her to fall in love with him then I got his new BMW."

I blinked a few times, trying to formulate my thoughts. "You're kidding, right? This has to be some belated April fools joke."

Jasper shook his head. "I wish I was kidding. It's all true."

"Let me get this straight." Rose stood again, pacing the room once more. "This whole time Edward has been playing us all for fools? Every 'I love you,' every affectionate moment, all the weekends together … it's all been part of some beautifully organized plan to win a fucking house?"

Emmett shook his head. "It's not like that, Rose."

"How did you get involved with this, Em?" I asked. My mind was reeling, trying to put fifty different puzzle pieces together with no master image to guide me. I wanted to believe that the bet became null and void somewhere along the way. Without confirmation from one of them, however, I didn't know what to think.

"Jasper dumped his guts to me one night when we went out for beers."

"When was this?" Rose never failed to get information, especially when she was determined.

"I don't know, a month after the Guggenheim thing?" Emmett dragged his fingers through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out, Rose, believe me. But then I ran into Edward at the gym and confronted him about it, and he swore he'd find someone else to represent him as soon as the book came out."

"I knew it!" Rose stopped pacing and stamped her foot against the floor in frustration. "Bella obsessed over every little thing that happened last fall – taking him on as a client, agreeing to be his friend, the kiss, the book tour. Every one of those things meant so much to her, and here he was leading her on the whole fucking time!"

"He's not leading her on, Rose," Jasper replied calmly. "We called the bet off shortly after he and Emmett had their confrontation. Everything that happened after that point has been what Edward wanted to happen."

Rose arched an eyebrow and frowned. "Why should we believe a word you're telling us? You've kept everything hidden for this long; how are we supposed to know whether you're telling us everything or not?"

"What do I stand to gain by keeping information from you, Rosalie?" Jasper sounded irritated. "This is already going to create a world of hurt for two people I care about. Do you honestly think I'd want to rub more salt in open wounds?"

"I don't know, Jasper, would you? Because right now I really don't know what to think about you – or Emmett."

"Will you at least listen to me for a minute?" Rose glared at Jasper before sitting back down on the sofa and blowing out a loud sigh. This was enough encouragement for him to continue. "Neither of you knew Edward before he met Bella. I know you heard about him, probably even from some people you're close to, but you didn't spend any time with him. He carried around so much bitterness from his last relationship that I'm not sure he knew how to like any women, let alone love one. Bella changed all that.

"Yes, women were disposable to him, and yes, he was the master of manipulating them into giving him what he wanted, which was usually a cheap and easy one night stand. The minute he started working with Bella all of that changed. He stopped going out every night. He stopped bringing home a different woman every weekend. He stopped being the arrogant, misogynistic ass he was and started making a conscious effort to be a better person. And not knowing him would make it hard for you to notice, but there were small changes too.

"Edward is … humbled. He actually cares how his actions affect those around him. He worries about what Bella will think of things he does and things he says. He frets over simple shit, like what to cook her for dinner or how to rearrange his living room to make space for her favorite armchair. And he looks at her in a way I've never seen him look at anyone before … Even Jess, who he thought was 'the one'.

"I know it probably won't make a damn bit of a difference what I say here, but please believe me when I say Edward's love for Bella is no joke. And it certainly has nothing to do with winning some childish bet."

Silence fell over the room as we all sat lost in thought. The angry expression Rose wore never disappeared, but her features softened slightly as the minutes ticked by. I cleared my throat when it finally started to become awkward.

"You two realize you're very much responsible for fixing this?" I looked at Jasper and then at Emmett. "I know Edward is the one in the relationship, but you both had knowledge of this. The least you can do is find some way to make sure that everything doesn't blow to bits when Bella finds out."

Emmett's eyes widened. "When Bella finds out? Why do you even need to tell her?"

"Really Em? You've already kept this a secret from the rest of us for over six months. Now you think we should keep it a secret from Bella?" Rose rolled her eyes. "Un-fucking-believable."

"You heard what Jasper said," Emmett argued. "Edward genuinely loves Bella. I think his best friend would be the source to go to if you had any questions about this, don't you? Jasper knows him better than anyone else."

"Listening to you argue on Edward's behalf is the last thing I want to do right now. You didn't just betray Bella, Emmett; you betrayed Alice and me as well. No amount of pleading is going to make that go away."

"I told you we should have come clean that night you confessed all this to me!" Emmett stood and walked to the window, staring out at the sprawling city and slapping his palm against the glass. "I knew that shit was going to end up hitting the fan, and now look."

Rose looked over at me and shrugged, ignoring Emmett's outburst. "We have to tell Bella. Regardless of how good Edward is to her now, or how genuine his feelings are, she deserves to know all of this. I mean, she's moving in with him for fucks sakes! She should make some sort of informed decision, especially about something that big."

"Let me talk to him first, Rose," Jasper pleaded. "I'm the one who got the three of us into this mess. I should be the one who gets us out."

"You can talk to him all you want, Jasper, but that's not going to change anything." Rose crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "We have no reason to trust either of you right now, and neither does Bella. Nor do we have any reason to support you in your campaign to redeem Edward."

I bit my lip and thought about what Rose said. Telling Bella everything Jasper had just told us would surely break her heart. But, Rose was right. Bella needed to know who she was moving in with, and regardless of his current intentions or feelings, the bet was a part of Edward.

"We'll tell her when she gets back," I decided. "I don't want to ruin her time in the Hamptons. Besides, I think we all need some time to sit on this and get to a point where we can approach it rationally. There are too many heightened emotions in this room right now and that isn't going to help or fix anything."

"How can you manage to stay so calm right now?" My best friend crossed and uncrossed her legs anxiously. "I want to punch something. Or someone. I haven't quite decided which yet."

I shrugged. "It's in my nature. Besides, just because I'm calm doesn't mean I'm not angry." I looked over at my boyfriend and frowned. "I can't believe you would dream up something like this. Drunk or not, it's a really low thing to do."

"So where does this leave us?" Emmett slumped down next to Rose and attempted to put an arm around her shoulders, but she shrugged him away and stood up.

"You can go home," she said cooly. "I need to get some rest and right now I don't think I can be in the same room as you."

"Rose-"

"Please, just go Emmett. I have nothing nice to say to you right now, so I'd rather just not say anything at all."

"I think I'm going to go too," I said, standing and pulling my sweater tighter around myself.

Jasper looked up at me. "Am I coming with?"

"We can share a cab, but I'd like to be alone for a bit as well. I need to sort all of this out; figure out what part affects me and how I want to handle it." Jasper nodded and stood up.

"I'll call you this afternoon," Rose said, standing and wrapping her arms around me. I sank into her embrace and laid my head against her shoulder. This whole situation was a mess and I had no idea what was next when it came to fixing it.

"Please get some rest," I said when I pulled away. I rubbed her tummy and cracked a small smile. "You're sleeping for two now, you know."

Rose's cheeks reddened with a pregnant blush. "I will. I promise."

I turned and headed for the door with Jasper in tow. I held it for him and he headed down the hall in front of me, hands in his pockets and head hung in what I guessed was shame.

"Alice, I'm truly sorry," he whispered once we were on the elevator.

I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. "I know."

The cab ride was filled with silence, and after Jasper got out at his stop, I let the tears I'd been holding back start to fall softly down my cheeks.

In a matter of twelve hours everything had gone from really good to really fucked up.

I only hoped there was a way we could all work together to fix things.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I sighed as the masseuse's fingers expertly worked the muscles in my upper back. Every ounce of tension I'd felt for the last few weeks melted away effortlessly as his hands glided across my bare skin.

"How is this pressure?"

"Perfect," I mumbled.

I spent the next ninety minutes drifting in and out as complete relaxation took hold of me. Edward had chosen to wait until our last day in the Hamptons to visit the spa, and now I knew why. I wanted this little slice of bliss to stay with me for as long as possible.

"You're glowing," Edward commented when I met him in the lobby after.

I smiled. "I feel amazing. Thank you so much for setting this up."

He leaned down and kissed my cheek before lacing our fingers together. Spring was finally upon us, and a light breeze blew my hair around my face as we strolled down the quiet Hamptons street.

"Did Alice fill your plate up with projects yet?"

I shook my head. "Nope! My calendar is squeaky clean for the time being. Which is a blessing, because Victoria wants to meet with us regarding an expansion of the firm, and I don't think I could pull that off and move and try to manage a new client."

He raised an eyebrow. "An expansion?"

"Event planning," I explained. "Victoria was so impressed with the work we did on her party that she offered to financially back us if we were to add that segment to what we already do."

"Are you kidding?" Edward stopped and spun me around so I faced him. "This is a big deal, Bella! I can't believe you didn't tell me before this."

An embarrassed blush covered my cheeks. "I just wanted to enjoy my time here. And enjoy Jasper's amazing house. All play and no work for the week, you know?"

"I believe a celebratory dinner would have fallen under the play category, wouldn't it?" He pulled my arm around his waist and secured his around mine, and we continued walking. "I mean, it's work related, but it's also cause to have a toast or two. Victoria White doesn't put her eggs in just any basket, Bella. The fact that she wants to back you two on a business venture says a lot about your work."

My blush deepened. "That's the same thing Alice told me. Trust me, I feel very fortunate right now. So many good things are happening lately. It's hard to believe all of them are real."

"You deserve every good thing that comes your way, Bella." We came to a stop when we reached Edward's car. Minutes later we were back at the house.

"I have a few surprises for you," Edward said when we were on the porch. A trill of excitement shot through me. I'd been graced with many surprises over the course of our courtship, and none of them had disappointed me.

"What kind of surprises?" I cocked an eyebrow and smiled suggestively.

Edward chuckled. "None of _those_ , unfortunately. Although if you got that suitcase back from Renee…"

"Oh my God, don't even remind me!" I slapped my palm against my forehead and cringed. "I still can't believe I forgot that there!"

A full-force laugh escaped his lips. "Renee still hasn't mentioned it?"

"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "I know my mom well enough to know she won't mention it. If she did find it, she was probably mortified."

"I can't say I blame her. Who wants to picture their daughter using all those crazy toys?"

I slapped his arm playfully. "Alright, enough with the suitcase talk. Where are these surprises you speak of?"

Edward grabbed my hand and led me through the house and out to the back porch. The view was spectacular; a grassy hill gave way to the beach, where a picturesque sunset hovered over the Atlantic. The patio table was set for two and lit with candles. A rolling cart next to it held a bottle of wine, a fresh salad, and what appeared to be a homemade pizza.

"How did you manage this? We were out all afternoon?" I took in the scene before me as Edward pulled my chair out. He sat across from me, grinning coyly and uncorking the wine.

"I called in a few favors," he explained, pouring the crimson liquid into our glasses.

"It's perfect," I said with a smile.

"It's simple. But that seemed like a nice way for us to end our week here." We dished up our food and started eating. My skin felt warm despite the chilly April air.

"So what's the other surprise?" I asked when we'd finished our salads.

"It's waiting for you back in the city," Edward explained. I stared at him in confusion and he continued. "I gave Esme my key to your place before we left. She's been over there all week packing things up for you."

My initial reaction was to get mad at him for sharing my key with anyone, even his mother. That passed quickly, however, and embarrassment settled in. "She didn't have to do that, Edward. You didn't have to do that. I could have had movers come in and pack like you originally suggested."

He shrugged and grinned. "Esme loves doing things to help others – especially you. And I didn't want you to have to lift another finger." I opened my mouth to protest but he reached out and rested a single finger over it. "I know you well enough to know you're stubborn and you love your independence – even with a broken wrist. You'd still try and pack things if we hired the movers to do it, and I didn't want to see that happen. You need everything to be nicely healed next month when we go to Paris."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "I'm not stubborn. I just don't like other people doing things for me when I'm capable of doing them myself."

"And that's fine – when you're capable. A broken wrist does not render you capable of manual labor."

I stared at him for a moment before cracking a smile. "Thank you."

"There's the girl I've grown to love." Edward reached across the table and squeezed my good hand. "You're welcome."

"Speaking of Paris…" My voice drifted off as I imagined what it would be like to spend a week with Edward in the City of Love. "How are we going to juggle that and the move?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I move in on May 15, right?" Edward nodded. "And we leave for Paris on May 25."

"And…?"

"How will we find time to go through all my belongings, move what I want to store to a garage somewhere, and make room for what I want to keep in your place?" I took a sip of my wine and frowned. "We're working adults with busy schedules. Preparing for an international vacation on top of that is going to be a nightmare."

Edward was silent for a moment and then his eyes lit up. "Move in early."

"Excuse me?"

"Move in early." He polished off the last of his pizza and swiped his napkin across his lips. "I can make arrangements with the movers. I'm sure Esme got most of your stuff packed, and what she didn't should be easy for the gang to box up for you. Why don't we push the moving date up and that will take some stress off our shoulders?"

"Push the moving date up how much?"

"A week?"

I thought about it for a minute. There wasn't anything stopping me from moving in early. Plus that would give me extra time to get my apartment cleaned up before I turned in the keys.

"Alright," I agreed. "Let's do it."

"Great!" Edward stood and held his hand out. I took it and he pulled me up and into his arms. "I can't wait to wake up next to you every morning."

"We'll see if you say that after I hit you with a dose of my morning breath," I joked.

A laugh rumbled in his chest. "Been there, done that."

"Kiss my ass," I giggled. He pulled back and arched an eyebrow.

"Been there, done that too."

I rolled my eyes and pulled him back toward me.

Nervousness aside, I was more than ready to start the next leg of my life with Edward.

**-=- HC -=-**

My first goal upon arriving home Thursday was to unpack my bags and get my laundry in the washer.

Rose and Alice's arrival at my apartment put the brakes on that plan, however.

"I'm coming!" I yelled in response to the relentless knocking at my door. I glanced through the peephole and shook my head when I saw the two of them standing there. "To what do I owe this visit?"" I asked, pulling the door open.

"We need to talk." Rose stalked down the hall toward the living room. Alice smiled sadly and stepped forward, giving me a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"How was the Hamptons?"

"Amazing. You're going to love spending time out there with Jasper with summer." I glanced over my shoulder and frowned. "What's got her all riled up this morning?"

Alice looked down at her feet. "The guys," she explained. I simply rolled my eyes and chuckled in response.

"What stupid thing did they do this time?"

"Alice! Don't you dare tell her!" Rose stomped back into the hall, cheeks flaring and hands placed firmly against her five-months pregnant hips. "Bella, come sit down please. We have some things to discuss."

I looked back and forth between my two friends, taking in the anger on one face and the somberness on the other. Whatever happened was serious, and definitely not good.

"What's going on?" I asked after we were all seated. Rose took a deep breath and started to speak, but Alice held her hand up and stopped her.

"Please try to be rational – both of you."

"I've been rational all week, haven't I?" Rose spat out. Alice nodded and folded her hands in her lap.

"Okay, enough of the cryptic shit. What the hell is up?"

Rose took another deep breath. "When we were at the White party last weekend I overheard Jasper and Emmett discussing you and Edward," she explained. "I walked up behind them just in time to hear Emmett tell Jasper something about him not needing to make a bet about you with Edward. That you'd fell in love with him easily enough on your own and without any extra pushing."

"What are you talking about?"

"Edward was angry when you shot him down at the Guggenheim last fall," Alice said. "At the time, Jasper found Edward's anger funny. So he decided to encourage him to pursue you by betting Edward that he couldn't get you to fall in love with him."

"He claims his intention wasn't to hurt you, but to show Edward that not every woman in this city would trip over themselves to be with him." Rose rolled her eyes. "It was a total douche bag thing to do if you ask me. Good intentions or not, you don't fuck with someone's feelings like that."

I sat staring at them in silence before bursting out in high-pitched laughter. "I don't know what your goal here is, but April Fools Day was weeks ago, girls. "

"We're not kidding around, Bell." Rose scooted down the couch until she was next to me. "I made Jasper and Emmett come clean on Sunday morning. What we're telling you now is exactly what they told us then."

"Oh really? What was their wager then? A couple hundred bucks? A Caribbean vacation? Please, enlighten me as to what my value is."

"If you fell in love with him, Edward got the keys to Jasper's Hamptons house," Rose explained. "If you didn't, Jasper got the keys to Edward's new BMW."

The color drained from my face as an ice-cold feeling of dread engulfed my chest. "The Hamptons house we just stayed at?"

Rose nodded. "Jasper wanted Edward to be the one to tell you, but I thought it would easier hearing it from us. Besides, who the hell knows if he'd actually come clean about everything? He's clearly got a problem with honesty."

"I'm so stupid." I dropped my head to my hands and blinked back the tears that had started to form behind my eyelids. "I knew about his reputation. I read the stories, I saw the pictures, Christ I was on the receiving end of his ridiculous pick up attempts. And yet I was still stupid enough to trust him."

"Bell, wait-"

I ignored Alice's attempt to interject and continued my train of thought. "Of course he would have the keys to the Hamptons house. Because I'm stupid and I fucking fell in love with him! And then I just had to go around shouting it from the rooftops, so Jasper would know and Emmett would know and you two would know. Fuck, I've spent this whole time thinking I'm the one who needs to prove to my friends and family that this relationship is real, that it's worth something and that I'm not just another one of his trashy hook-ups. And now I find out I was nothing more than a good laugh and a fucking piece of real estate! Fuck!"

"They called the bet off," Alice blurted out. "They called it off before Thanksgiving. Jasper felt guilty and Edward was busy falling for you. They called the bet off and Jasper never got his keys back. So when Edward came to him asking if he could borrow the Hamptons house for a few days, Jasper told him yes."

I shook my head in confusion. "Why didn't anyone say something sooner?"

Alice frowned. "Emmett was going to tell Rose as soon as he found out, but then the bet was called off and he didn't think anything of it. Honestly I don't think any of them thought it would ever come to light."

I sat in silence, unsure of what to say. Part of me was livid. I wanted to pick up every breakable object within reach and smash it against the wall. I wanted to get in a cab, ride across town, and punch Edward square in the face for ever even thinking I was just a bet. I wanted to burn his book, throw his clothes out my window, and tell him to never fucking talk to me again.

Another part of me –a much larger part – was hurt. And with that hurt came a whole, big ball of skepticism. I'd been lied to, led on, and humiliated by men in my past, but none of those experiences stung quite as much as this did. Even though we hadn't started off on the best foot, things with Edward always seemed different. It felt more real than any relationship in the past, and I'd always accounted our shitty beginning to fate having a weird way of putting two people in the right place at the wrong time.

Now I knew the truth; fate had nothing to do with our coupling, but a shady, cheap bet did. This knowledge alone was enough to suck the air from my lungs and make my throat burn with an overwhelming nausea.

"So everything up until Thanksgiving was one big, carefully constructed lie?"

"Not _everything_ ," Alice said. "Obviously it was no coincidence that Edward chose our PR firm to represent him, nor was it a coincidence that he wanted to work with you specifically. His feelings are real though, Bell. Jasper and Emmett were both insistent on that."

I bit my lip to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over onto my cheeks. "So everything he said about Esme loving our work and doing research about our firm … all of that was bullshit?"

Alice nodded. "Esme _does_ love our work. But he had no idea we even had a firm until that first story about the two of you ran on Page Six." The first of what I guessed would become a steady stream of tears fell down my cheek. "I'm sorry, sweetie. This is the last thing that either of us wanted to sit down and tell you, especially when you just got back from a week away with him."

I scooted back on the couch and pulled my legs up close to me, resting my chin on the tops of my knees. I wasn't sure how many details Jasper and Emmett had shared with the girls, but I also wasn't sure I wanted to know. A tiny voice inside my head was telling me that I needed to continue this conversation with Edward.

"That's it!" Rose stood abruptly and placed her hands on her hips once more. "I'm going to talk to Edward. He owes all of us an explanation, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let him have a night to sleep on it before he delivers."

"Rose," Alice said, standing and placing a hand gently on our friend's elbow. "I love you, and I love how protective you are of all your friends, but that conversation isn't one that you should have."

"Someone has to have it!" Rose exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

" _I_ will have it," I asserted, giving her a pleading look. "It just isn't going to happen tonight."

"It needs to happen tonight, Bell," Rose argued. "This is a big fucking deal. It's not like he went to the track and put money down on a trifecta. You're a human fucking being, Bella. You're a human being and he wagered something on _you_. Do you really think your feelings even crossed his mind when he agreed to this?"

What was left of my emotional self-control melted away. "God damnit Rose, I'm well aware of what he did! I don't need you to sit here and lecture me like I'm a teenager again, and I sure as hell don't appreciate you rubbing salt all over a wound that you just fucking opened!"

Alice cringed. "Girls, please, calm down."

I whipped my head in her direction and narrowed my eyes. "Calm down? Really, Alice? You're telling me to calm down _after_ the two of you show up here unannounced and drop this big fucking bomb on me? No, I'm not going to calm down! I don't want to calm down!

"I need time to be alone and process everything you just told me," I said, lowering my voice. "I need to think about all this shit and decide how I'm going to handle it. What I don't need is for either of you to get anymore involved in this than you already are."

Rose's shoulders slumped forward and some of the anger disappeared from her eyes. "Emmett and Jasper already involved us, sweetie."

"Well, then go home and chew Emmett out about it. Edward is my boyfriend and therefore it's me who needs to talk to him."

"Oh, I have chewed Emmett out, trust me," Rose laughed. "In fact, I'm not speaking to him until this whole mess is cleared up. _If_ it gets cleared up."

"Which is completely ridiculous, by the way," Alice said. "I get being mad at him, but cutting him off permanently isn't exactly a mature way to handle this."

"Covering this up for months wasn't exactly a mature thing for him to do either, Alice," Rose pointed out.

"Wait, if Jasper and Edward made the bet, how did Emmett even get involved?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Jasper spilled the beans to him one night when they were out having beers. He's more of a bystander than an actual participant."

"Bystander my ass," Rose scoffed. "He should have come to me right away when Jasper told him. Then I could have told Bella, she could have dropped Edward as a client, and we wouldn't be standing here dealing with this right now." Alice remained silent, and I could tell by the expression on her face that part of her agreed with what Rose was saying.

"Let's go grab dinner," she finally suggested. "I'm sure you have more questions and a public place would force Ms. Hormones over here to reel in her aggression."

I forced a smile, but shook my head. "I think I want to be alone for a bit."

"Are you sure?" Alice gave my elbow a light squeeze. "It might help to talk things out. We could invite Newton too. Then you'd get in a good laugh."

"I'm sure." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at my feet. "I need some time to myself to think about all of this."

Rose sighed. "I'm sorry to be a bitch about this, but it burns. Everyone trusted him, which was no easy thing to do."

"I know," I whispered, brushing tears away from my cheek. "Trust me, I know."

"I'm sorry, Bell." Alice wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close for a hug. I rested my forehead on her shoulder, causing my tears to fall faster. Alice held me for a few minutes before pulling back and squeezing my shoulders. "Promise me you'll call if you need anything? I don't care what time it is."

I nodded. "I promise," I whispered. Rose gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek before following Alice out.

I locked the door and leaned against it, sliding slowly to the floor. Head in my hands and knees to my chest I began to sob. Everything I'd fought so hard to contain in front of Rose and Alice came out, and as my body rocked against the door, I realized just how much was at stake, and how much both Edward and I could lose.

I looked around the hallway, taking note of how many memories involving Edward resided in my apartment alone. The tears flowed even harder when my eyes settled on the small stack of moving boxes at the end of the hall. As I sniffled in a raspy breath, I felt a dull ache begin in my stomach.

Was it truly foolish of me to believe that the things Edward said and did were genuine?

Should I trust Jasper and Emmett in saying that the bet was called off right away? Should I believe their assertion that his love for me wasn't driven by something material?

I had no idea how long I stayed on the hallway floor before finally forcing myself to get up and go to bed. The nightmare that followed was telling of my mental state. A large, faceless black creature chased me as I ran down corridor after corridor in an endless maze. It was dark and damp, and the burning in my lungs felt real as I pushed forward, desperate to find the exit. Eventually my strength began to diminish, and I found myself running slower, stopping to take frequent breaks, and finally collapsing in a heap. As the creature neared I began to lose consciousness, and I woke up just before the darkness of the dream overtook me.

One thing was clear – I had to talk to Edward, and it had to be an in-person conversation. I needed to see the look in his eyes when he explained the bet to me. I needed to see the emotion and know how he felt when I told him what I knew.

Tomorrow was Friday and he would be staying with me. Even though it wasn't the most pleasant way to start what could evolve into a good weekend, I knew I had to confront him about the bet right away.

I leaned back into my pillows and closed my eyes.

No nightmare that invaded my sleep that night could compare to the one Edward and Jasper's bet could create.

I only hoped that after tomorrow it wouldn't seem like such a nightmare anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't not cliff hang. Otherwise this chapter would be ginormous. ;)
> 
> A small note: Tomorrow I'm pulling Endless Night and I Will Remember You. In short, I don't have time to write them, they haven't updated in over six months, and I'm not sure they'll ever be complete. There's a bit more detail on my blog, which is linked in my profile.
> 
> If You Only Knew readers, I'm still working on that update. I've been stuck, then when I get unstuck my schedule explodes and things just don't mesh.
> 
> Thanks for still being here! And for reviews, recs, and love. It makes me smile. Ridiculously huge smiles.
> 
> Until next time...
> 
> xo


	29. Room to Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to follow at the end, but for now...
> 
> Thanks to WitchyVampireGirl for talking me off the ledge numerous times and lending me your ear over lunch and on Facebook. I think I had about four mini meltdowns while writing this chapter, and they probably would have turned into volcanic sized eruptions if you weren't there to assist.
> 
> Thanks to the girls in my Facebook group for laughter, support, and the chapter discussions. I look forward to them every time I update. :)
> 
> Thanks to everyone who is still here. I know my updates don't come as frequently as you or I would like at times, but I appreciate your patience and I want to say thank you for sticking around and coming back.
> 
> Thanks to EvilNat for the pimpage and reccing this.
> 
> I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't here, so for now I'll sit back and let everyone (hopefully) enjoy... :)
> 
> Chapter Song: Hemorrhage (In My Hands) by Fuel
> 
> Characters belong to SM, recognizable faces and places belong to the rightful owners, and I take responsibility for the rest.

**Edward's POV**

I was on my way into the office when I got Jasper's call. He didn't waste any time getting straight to the point.

"The girls know."

"The girls know what?" I had no idea what he was talking about.

"About the bet," he sighed.

I flicked my wrist in the air, signaling Sam to turn down the music. "What do you mean 'the girls know'?"

He paused before answering. "Rosalie overheard Emmett and I talking about it at the White party."

"What exactly did she overhear you say?"

"She heard Emmett telling me that I didn't even need to make a bet with you to get Bella to fall in love."

"Why were you discussing the bet in the first place?"

"Because the two of you looked so happy," Jasper explained.

"Our looking happy inspired you to discuss that topic?"

"We were both … _surprised_ by how well this whole thing worked out for you. And neither of us knew Rose was standing behind us."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and leaned my head against the seat. The air felt like it was a million degrees, but a cold sweat still spread across every inch of my body. I reached down and loosened my tie, popped open the top button on my Oxford, and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Edward?"

"How did Alice find out?"

"Rose called her first thing Saturday morning and had us come over. She backed us into a corner and interrogated us in front of Alice."

"Jesus," I muttered, balling my fist in anger. "Do you think they told Bella?" The silence that followed served as enough of an answer, but I needed to hear the words come from my best friend's mouth. "C'mon, Jasper, answer the damn question. Do you think they told Bella?"

"They were going to tell her when she got back from the Hamptons."

I banged my fist against the car window, wincing in pain when my knuckles collided with the hard glass. As much as I wanted to chew Jasper out, I also wanted to know everything that he knew leading up to this point. "Have they talked to her yet?"

"I don't know, man." Jasper sounded defeated. "I tried to ask Alice about it last night and she refused to touch on the topic. And Rose hasn't spoke to Emmett since last weekend."

"This is so fucking stupid." I slumped back against the seat once more. "Nobody but the three of us ever needed to know about this. I mean we called the fucking thing off months ago!"

"I'm sorry-"

"I know you're sorry," I said, thumping my fist against the window once more. "Unfortunately sorry isn't going to do shit to fix anything that's broken because of this. I've spent months proving myself to so many people - Bella, Rose, Charlie and Renee. None of that will matter when word of this gets out."

"Maybe they didn't talk to her yet?"

"Please, Jasper. I'm sure Rose was just waiting for me to fuck up so she could wave her I-told-you-so flag all over town. She's always thought I was an asshole. This little piece of information only goes to prove her right!"

Jasper sighed. "I know Rose hasn't thought highly of you, but you said it yourself – you've changed. So many people noticed it, Edward, and I'm almost positive she's one of them. I would expect a lot more arguments between her and Bella if she didn't."

"Well it really won't matter much now, will it? I'm just the asshole who had a bet that entailed fucking with her best friend's emotions." Sam brought the car to a stop in front of my office. "I have to go. I just got to work."

"Are you going to call Bella?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I'm going to her place for the weekend, so I'll see her tonight either way."

"For what it's worth, I really am sorry. I never would have said anything had we not been sitting on the hot seat in the middle of Rose's living room. Emmett and I are in deep too, if it makes you feel any better."

I scoffed. "What would make me feel better would be you going back to your hot seat and erasing everything you said."

"I wish I could do that."

"Thanks for giving me a heads up anyway." I eased the door open and climbed out of the car.

"Let me know what happens when the two of you talk."

"Will do. I'll talk to you later." I hung up before Jasper had a chance to say goodbye.

"Edward?" I whipped around to find Sam holding my briefcase out to me. "You forgot this."

"Thanks," I mumbled, grabbing it and jogging up the sidewalk. As soon as I got to my office, I closed the door and dropped down on my chair. I resisted the urge to shout and throw something, and opted to rest my head on my desk instead.

I wanted to call Bella and dive right into what I knew would be a difficult conversation. The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized what a bad idea it was. I owed Bella an explanation and I knew she would have questions for me. Having that conversation over the phone was a pussy thing for me to do, and it wasn't fair for her. She deserved so much more than that, and I wanted her to be able to see the conviction on my face when I told her how much I loved her and how right everything felt. Bet or no bet I had fallen very hard for this woman, and I panned on keeping her in my life for as long as she would let me.

Texting Bella wasn't out of the picture, however. I had no intention of bringing anything up, but I at least wanted to make sure I was still welcome at her place for the weekend. I grabbed my phone and typed out a short message.

_**I can't wait for our weekend to begin. I'll be over around 7. – E.** _

A half hour later I still hadn't heard back, so I sent another message.

_**Should I pick up dinner on my way over? – E.** _

When another half hour passed with no response, I gave up and pulled out my work. The spreadsheet of company codes and numbers that usually served as a welcome distraction did nothing to quell the nervousness that weighed down my stomach.

Bella always got back to me in a relatively quick fashion. The only time it took longer was when she was knee-deep in a project, and I knew that she didn't have anything like that on her agenda today.

 _She knows,_ a small voice inside my head sang out. _She knows and she's pissed off and she'll probably have all her shit unpacked and yours sitting on the front steps when you get over there tonight._

I dropped my pen and fisted my hair in frustration.

Everything was about to get insanely fucked up.

I just hoped that nothing turned out broken beyond repair.

* * *

**Rose's POV**

"What?"

"Don't hang up, please," Emmett spat out.

"Give me one good reason not to."

"You love me."

"I may love you Emmett, but I really don't like you right now. Nor do I feel like talking." I hung up the phone and turned the volume off before he could say another word.

"I hope that's just your over-the-top pregnancy hormones talking." I jumped at the sound of Mike's voice.

"Christ Newton, you scared the shit out of me!"

"I'm glad to know I still have the ability to startle people." He strolled along the wall of my office, running his fingers over the racks of fall pieces my assistant had just brought in. "The sight of long sleeves before we've even had a chance to break out the short ones depresses me. Why can't your industry run congruently with the actual seasons?"

"Fashion is about being one step ahead of the game," I said, taking a seat behind my desk and slipping my shoes off. No matter what I wore, my feet always ached these days. I massaged the ball of my right foot with the toes of my left and leaned my head back on my chair. "To what do I owe this mid-day visit?"

"We can get to that in a minute," Mike replied, clapping his hands together loudly in an effort to get my attention. I squinted my eyes open and sighed, sitting straight in my chair and focusing on him.

"Yes?"

"What's going on with you and Emmett?"

"I can't speak for Emmett since I haven't really seen or talked to him since Sunday, but I'm busy trying to assemble-"

"Nah-ah," Mike said, rolling his eyes and shaking his finger "no" in front of me. "That was a very cute attempt at deflection you made there, but it's not going to work. What is going on with you and Emmett's _relationship_?"

"I'm not speaking to him."

"I can see that. Why?"

"Because he, Jasper, and Edward did a really shitty thing to Bella and I refuse to let him off the hook that easily."

Mike narrowed his eyebrows. "What did they do to Bella?"

I didn't want to revisit the topic. Every time I thought about it I got upset. Unfortunately I knew Mike wouldn't stop pressing until I did. "Edward made a bet with Jasper that he could get Bella to fall in love with him. That's why he came to Bella for PR and why he initially tried hooking up with her."

"What kind of bet?"

"If Bella fell for him then Edward got Jasper's new Hamptons house. If she didn't, Jasper got Edward's new BMW."

Mike laughed. "A car and a house, huh? Could they get any more unoriginal?"

"Unoriginal? Really Mike?"

"What?" He shrugged and smirked. "Even you have to admit they could have done better. I mean Jasper has to have some dirt on Edward. He could have leaked some of his juicy secrets. But, I digress; when and how did you find this out?"

"Emmett let it slip at the White party. I made him and Jasper tell Ali and I everything on Sunday."

"Well, that explains why you spent the majority of that night walking around like you had a stick stuck up your ass. What did they tell you?"

I relayed everything to Mike, beginning with our night at the Guggenheim and ending with Sunday's early morning chat. When I met his eyes at the end of my story, I was surprised to find amusement in them.

"How are you not fuming right now? I just told you that our best friend's relationship is founded on a huge lie."

Mike chuckled and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and propping his chin up in his hands. "Before you go all batshit preggo crazy on me, please hear me out. I know and I understand why you're upset. You've always treated your friends like they're family, Rosalie, especially when it comes to the girls. I know secret-keeping is something you frown on, especially after everything that happened with Jacob, and I know you've always had a bad feeling about Edward's intentions."

"Then you know-"

"BUT," Mike interrupted," I also know that you've seen Edward's transformation with your own eyes. They may have made that bet, but when shit started to get real, they squashed it. To me, that says that what may have started out as a game grew into much more. That is where you should focus your attention."

"You're kidding, right?" It sounded like Mike was speaking a foreign language. "I find all this shit out by accident – _accident_ , Mike, because neither of them had any intention of telling us – and you expect me to just forget it and focus on the fact that they only let it go on for a month?"

"I'm not expecting you to forget anything, sweetheart. I'm asking you to have an open-mind. Do you really think Edward would have spent so much time continuing to pursue Bella _after_ the bet was called off if he didn't have feelings for her? The guy could pretty much walk into a room and pick out ten women who would go home with him with no questions asked."

"Which is probably what he spent all last fall doing when Bella wasn't around!"

"Even if he was, that's Bella's battle to fight, not yours." Mike stood and came around the desk, spinning my chair around until I faced him and then kneeling in front of me. "Emmett is a good guy, Rose. If there was ever a risk of Bella getting hurt because of that bet he would have come forward and told you. Hell, according to what you just told me he gave Edward and Jasper both a timeline to end it or he would tell you. He obviously didn't support their stupidity and he didn't want to be an accomplice in all of it.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't or can't feel upset over this. It pisses me off too, but not enough to make me want to sever relationships with anybody involved. I trust Jasper and Emmett enough to know that them holding on to this secret was the best course of action in their eyes. After all, was anything going to hell last week before you knew about this?"

I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, but Mike held up a single finger to silence me. "Everything was fine last week. Everything was normal last week. Had you not insisted on grilling the two of them after they told you it wasn't important, everything would still be fine and normal. You and Emmett would have enjoyed a nice phone conversation a few minutes ago, Alice wouldn't be confused as to what to believe or not believe when it comes to Jasper, and poor Bella wouldn't be sitting at home in her apartment mindfucking a situation that belongs in the past.

"I know that you have good intentions and I know you're just trying to be there for your friend, but I think it's time to let go of the apron strings and let Bella make her own decision about the future of her relationship. Some stories aren't ours to share, Rose, and I think in this case you probably should have let Jasper and Emmett handle things on their own."

I blew out a long breath, releasing all of the anger and sass I'd built up inside. Tears clouded my vision and I bit my lip. _Fucking hormones._ "Why would they do that to Bella? She deserves to be the center of someone's world, Mike, not a yo-yo they tug around for entertainment."

He shrugged again. "They were drunk. People do stupid shit when they're drunk. You of all people should know this." I reached out to smack the back of his head, but he dodged and laughed. "You've seen how Edward is with her. She's not his yo-yo, Rosie; she's his partner. The milk to his cookie, you know?"

I couldn't help but crack a smile. "My drunken stupidity ended in my mid-twenties, thank you."

"Sometimes it takes those of us with dangling participles between our legs a bit longer to get to that same point." He reached out and rested his palm on my belly. "All that stress you're carrying around with you isn't good for the little one in here. You need to relax and let some of this stuff go, hun."

 _Oh hell. There's no time like the present._ "Little boy," I whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Little boy," I repeated. "I'm having a baby boy."

Mike's eyes lit up. "What? When did you find this out?"

"Tuesday."

"Does Emmett know?"

I nodded. "He was there."

"For fucks sakes, Smith, what did he say?"

"He seemed excited," I said, smiling a bit wider at the memory.

"What do you mean 'he seemed excited'?" Mike asked, widening his eyes. "Please don't tell me you gave him the silent treatment during your sonogram?"

I hung my head in embarrassment. "Not complete silence, but close to it."

Mike grabbed my phone off my desk and held it out to me. "Don't look at me that way. You call that man and invite him over for dinner after work. You missed out on sharing a very special moment because you insist on acting stubborn and childish."

I took the phone and punched in Emmett's number. He answered on the second ring. "Rose?"

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, not bothering to hold back the tears that streamed down my face. "Will you come over tonight?"

"Of course I will. Are you crying?"

"Yes," I sniffled, glancing over at Mike. He laughed and made a face at me, and I held my middle finger up in response.

"Should I come to your office now? I can be there in fifteen minutes."

"No, no, don't do that. Mike is here, so I'll be okay."

"Are you sure? I don't have anything going on right-"

"It's okay, Em. Really."

He sighed on the other end of the line. "I'm happy you called."

I cracked a small smile. "I'll see you tonight."

"I'll be there."

Mike started slow clapping as soon as I hung up the phone. "Very good, Smith. This might be the first step toward a new you."

"Ha. Don't get your hopes up so fast. I'm still pissed."

"And, like I said, being pissed off is perfectly fine. Just don't let it consume you to the point where you end up losing the man who, in my humble opinion, is the best you've ever had."

"I don't want to talk about anything related to me anymore," I said honestly. "So, you must have had a reason for coming over here?"

Mike shrugged. "Not really. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to say 'hi'. Of course I _was_ beginning to wonder if something drastic had happened after not hearing from any of my ladies for almost a week."

"It's only been five days. We've gone way longer than that without talking."

"Yes, but that was before all of you had beautiful men in your lives and were getting laid on a regular basis. Things around here get much more interesting when there's dick to discuss." Mike laughed and ducked to the left as I reached out to slap his shoulder.

"Dick complicates everything, as you can see."

A devilish twinkle lit up his eyes. "There's a simple solution to that problem."

"Do I even want to ask?"

"Less talking, more fucking."

I rolled my eyes. "Leave it to you to come up with something like that."

"Come have lunch with me. I guarantee laughs for at least an hour."

I glanced at my clock and then over at the racks of clothes that lined the wall. I had plenty of things to keep me busy, but my mind hadn't been on work all morning, and I knew it wouldn't be now that Emmett was coming over either.

"Okay, but you're buying."

"I've never objected to spending my money on gorgeous ladies."

I stood and grabbed my purse before looping my arm through Mike's. "Thanks for making me smile."

"No problem. Now let's hope I have the same effect on Swan when I go visit her."

The image of Bella's face from the night before flashed through my mind. My stomach churned at the realization that I was partially, if not mostly, responsible for the fact that my friend was likely across town in the throes of an emotional breakdown.

Mike had a relatively easy time getting me to smile.

I could only hope he would have half as much success when he got around to visiting Bella.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I hoisted my duffle bag up on my shoulder and dug my keys out of my pocket. With the bouquet of flowers I'd purchased Bella in hand, I took a deep breath and gingerly slid my key into the lock. The hall lights were off and the apartment was quiet with I entered.

"Bell?" I kicked my shoes off and dropped my bag on the floor. Bella hadn't texted or called all day, so I had no idea whether or not she was even home. I walked slowly to the living room, and the sight before me broke my heart.

Bella sat on the floor in front of the couch with her legs pulled snug against her chest and her forehead resting against her knees. She had her pajamas on and her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. A half-packed box sat on the floor next to her and about fifteen different framed photographs were spread out on the carpet.

"Um," I mumbled, clearing my throat and picking at the plastic wrap on the bouquet. When she didn't respond, I set the bouquet down and crossed the room. I sank down next to her and folded my legs beneath me. "I'm guessing you heard?"

It took a minute for her to answer. "Why, Edward?" she asked, finally looking up at me. Red, puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks greeted me, constricting my heart even more. I reached out to put my arm around her, but she leaned away from me and shook her head.

I sighed. "I wish I had a good reason to give you, but truthfully I don't."

"I just don't understand." She rested her chin against her knees and fixed her eyes on one of the few paintings still on the wall. "I know you've been through a lot, I know you have issues, and I know your track record is pretty much shit. But I can't for the life of me figure out why you would ever do anything with the intention of hurting someone?"

"I was a dick back then." I looked up at the ceiling and fisted my hair in my hands. "I didn't know what kind of person you were, I didn't know what you had to offer, and I sure as hell never expected us to get to where we are today. It was a selfish thing to do and I'm sorry I ever did it, Bella."

"Who else knows?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who else knows about the bet, Edward? Carlisle? Esme? Your colleagues? Embry? How many people are aware of the fact that you planned on humiliating me?"

"Bella, I swear, Jasper and Emmett are the only two who know. Well, and Sam, but that's only because he overheard me talking to Jasper in the car this morning."

"God, I feel like such a fucking idiot." She stood abruptly and started pacing the floor. "I really thought Esme recommended our firm. I thought that you showing up at my office was the result of wanting to make your book release something amazing. The time you kissed me in the back of the Lincoln and the night you came home with me after Emmett's show opened … I thought all of those things actually meant something. And now I find out that they were just carefully placed stepping stones on this manipulative path you carved out."

"Bella-"

"I mean, why did you have to target me? There are thousands of single women in this city, and there were probably at least a hundred at the party that night. I'm not at the top of the social ladder and I'm not part of the cream of the crop of gorgeous beauties prowling around looking for a guy like you. What the hell inspired you to drag me into your childish game?"

"Not a part of the cream of the crop? You set the standard for that group of ladies, Bella. You're just too modest to know how truly beautiful you are."

"Damnit Edward, don't try to divert my attention! Your flattery will get you nowhere with me right now. I want answers, and this conversation isn't over until you give them to me!"

I fumbled awkwardly with the drawstring on my hooded sweatshirt. Throughout the course of my twenties I'd given plenty of women reason to grill me just like Bella was. It always shocked me when they chalked my behavior up to who I was and moved on so easily. Having to endure the round of twenty questions was horribly uncomfortable, especially since Bella wasn't just any woman. The love I felt for her only served to fuel my humiliation.

"If you're not willing to discuss this then you might as well go."

"You dumped your phone on me," I said nervously, the words coming out all wrong. Bella furrowed her brows in confusion. "I mean you dumped your drink on my phone; _and_ you slapped me. Insult to injury, you know?" She opened her mouth to say something, but I continued. "No woman has ever done that before, and truth be told, it was pretty fucking sexy. But it was frustrating too. It bruised my ego, which was the size of Yankee Stadium back then.

"Jasper saw the whole thing go down from across the room, and of course he thought it was hilarious. I knew my womanizing nauseated him, even though he never directly said it, and seeing me get taken down a notch was like a breath of fresh air I'm sure. I was already frustrated by the wet suit and the jacked up phone, but knowing I'd managed to ruin what little chance I may have had with you only frustrated me more. Jasper noticed and that's when we made the bet."

She stopped pacing and stood in front of me, hands on her hips and cheeks flushed in anger. "Ruining what little chance you may have had with me? Chance for what Edward? A wild romp in the sheets followed by tossing me out in the middle of the night? In after dark and out before dawn, right? Or were you planning on coming back to my place and sneaking out after you got what you wanted?"

I swallowed back the bile that had risen to my throat and looked up at her. When I first laid eyes on her, I had no intention of pursuing a relationship. Hell, I had no idea of pursuing a relationship with _anyone_ at that point in time. It was only after I got to know how amazing Bella was that I realized I wanted to be with her.

I didn't want to admit to any of this, but I knew I had to. The start of everything we were now was already laced with dishonesty, and I didn't want to be that guy anymore. "Truthfully? I would have brought you back to my place after dark and told you I had an early morning obligation that warranted your leaving before dawn. I would have devoured your body and found some excuse not to give you my number after the fact. I might have agreed to meet you again, but I would have concocted some excuse not to before it was too late. I was an asshole, Bella. A miserable, narcissistic, manwhoring asshole. I'm not proud of how I acted, nor am I proud of the fact that I ever agreed to the bet in the first place. But it already happened and I can't rewind the clock and go back and change it now.

"What I can do is promise you that part of me is gone – permanently. I can tell you that you I'm so in love with you that I can't think straight most of the time. And I can assure you, wholeheartedly, that I'm with you today because I want to be, not because I have any material goods to gain from it. I would never, ever dream of hurting you, Bella, and I'm so incredibly sorry that I even contemplated doing so back then."

I watched as a dozen emotions crossed Bella's face. Her anger had subsided and now she looked defeated. She sank to the floor next to me and tipped her head back against the couch, letting out a loud sigh. "I don't know what to do, Edward."

"What do you mean 'you don't know what to do'? You're not thinking about breaking up with me are you?"

"I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind."

I looked over at her. "I think that's a bit drastic, don't you?"

"How am I supposed to trust you after this, Edward? You lied about something huge; who's to say you won't lie again? Or that you haven't already?"

"Bella…" My voice trailed off and I ran my fingers through my hair. "If I didn't love you, would I be sitting here right now having this conversation? You told me that you loved me months ago, and we've been back in the city long enough for me to make the great escape. If I didn't want to be in this relationship I wouldn't be."

"I know you love me," she admitted. "But you have to understand, in a few weeks I'll be giving up everything I've known up to this point to forge ahead into a new life with you. Up until yesterday I'd managed to quell my fears on that issue, but now they're skipping right back to the forefront of things."

As much as I understood why she felt the way she did, I couldn't help but feel frustrated by how she was letting the bet overshadow all the positive aspects of our relationship. "What does the bet have to do with us living together?"

"I relinquished my apartment so I could move in with you, Edward. What happens if we're living together for a few months and another secret rears its big ugly head?"

"There are no other secrets," I insisted. "I answered all of your questions, and I answered them honestly. I made a mistake, Bella. Plain and simple. I'm only human for Christ's sakes. What more do I need to say?"

She looked down at the carpet and then up at me. "I'm only human too, Edward. If you get to live with your faults then I get to live with my insecurities about this. Plain and simple." Sarcasm dripped from every word.

"I didn't mean it like that-"

"I think you should go now."

Her words stung. "But it's my weekend to stay here."

"I know." She stood and crossed her arms over her chest protectively. I stood as well.

"You're really asking me to leave?"

She nodded. "I need time to mull all of this over. Contrary to what you seem to think, this is a big deal and it's not something I'm willing to take lightly. I've heard you out, you answered my questions, and now I want some time to process all of this – on my own."

"I never said it wasn't a big deal."

"You didn't have to say it. The fact that you never planned on telling me makes it glaringly obvious."

I sighed. "Bella, I'm sorry-"

"I _know_ you're sorry, Edward. What I don't know is if sorry is enough."

I ran my fingers through my hair before stuffing my hands in my pockets. I rocked back on my heels and met her stare. "How long do you need?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Give me the weekend to start?"

"Fine." I started to head for the door, but turned when I reached the hallway. "Just so you know, I don't like this. This is how break ups always start. Someone needs time and space to think, and before you know it everything falls apart."

Bella stared at me for a few seconds before closing the space between us and wrapping her arms around me. I squeezed her small form against me and she buried her face in my shoulder. I pressed my lips against the top of her head and inhaled the familiar, fruity scent of her shampoo. My stomach did a somersault when I thought about how this might be the last time she'd let me get this close.

"If I wanted to break up with you I would do it right now," she whispered.

I leaned away from her and looked down, cupping her face between my hands. "Please remember that this weekend."

She nodded. "I will."

I leaned forward and gave her one final kiss on the forehead before turning and grabbing my duffle bag from its place on the floor. When I looked back at her, the final intact piece of my heart cracked. "I love you, Bella."

"Me too," she mumbled, brushing the newest batch of tears off of her cheeks. "I'll call you on Monday."

I let myself out reluctantly, closing the door softly behind me.

My stomach felt like it was tied in knots and my chest felt like someone had punched a gaping hole in it. Bella only wanted a weekend to think, but I felt like she'd just told me she was taking a year long sabbatical in China.

In the grand scheme of things, two days wasn't much time. In this situation, however, two days could alter both of our lives in a way that I didn't think would be positive for either of us.

As much as I wanted to believe that Bella wasn't going to leave me, a large part of me worried that she would. And, truth be told, I really couldn't blame her if she did. Everything was in the past, just like I'd stated, but that did nothing to change the fact that Jasper and I did it.

It took everything in me to resist the urge to run back down the hall, rush into Bella's apartment, and beg her for forgiveness. When the elevator doors finally opened, I stepped inside and hit the button for the lobby. She needed time to think, and I needed to have respect and let her do that.

I had no idea where this weekend would leave us.

I had no guarantees that Bella would want to stay with me or that our relationship would carry on where it left off if she did.

I had no way of knowing if any of our friends would feed her anymore information over the course of the weekend.

What I did have was my heart, and in that moment it was filled with a nasty combination of pain and guilt.

I knew the future of our relationship rested just as much on my shoulders as it did hers, even though it didn't feel that way in the moment.

With a big sigh, I reluctantly began the long walk to my apartment. Even though I'd be spending the weekend alone, I knew what I needed to do.

I vowed then and there to be the best man I could be for Bella. I vowed to show her how much I loved her, to prove to her that she could trust me beyond a shadow of a doubt, and to make her see that the bet meant absolutely nothing to me.

I vowed to become an even more new and improved version of Edward Cullen.

And I vowed to start that night.


	30. Back Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves* HELLO EVERYONE!
> 
> There'll be a big spiel at the end of this, so I'll be brief up here.
> 
> 1\. It's great to be back.  
> 2\. THANK YOU all for sticking around and waiting for me. I love you all so much for that!  
> 3\. I'm back for good now (hooray!).
> 
> WitchyVampGirl was holding my hand along the LONG road to writing this chapter. I added, deleted, rearranged, and contemplated where to put stuff more than once. I had weeks where no thoughts would come to me because there was too much RL stress going on, but she kept at me and kept encouraging me to forge ahead. Thank you for all the kicks in the fanny, sweetie.
> 
> Chapter Song: Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. The last few chapters of this belong to me. And to them. :)

**Edward's POV**

By the time Monday came around I was ready to jump out of my skin.

I couldn't get Bella off my mind all weekend. I wanted to talk to her. I needed to hear her voice. I needed to hear her tell me that everything was okay; that _we_ were okay. I needed to see her smile and to feel her lips beneath mine.

I also knew what Bella needed, and that was time and space to think things through. As difficult as it was, I managed to keep myself from contacting her. The old Edward wouldn't have done that. He would have said, "fuck it" and moved on to the next woman. The new Edward – the one I vowed to be when I left her house on Friday – would wait a hundred years if Bella asked.

"Knock, knock." I looked up to find Embry standing in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?"

He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. "Only a minute. You looked too deep in thought for me to interrupt."

I frowned. "That's one way to put it. What brings you to this end of town?"

"You," Embry said, crossing the room and taking a seat across from me. "I have some news."

I arched an eyebrow. "Good or bad?"

"Good," Embry laughed. "I leave the bad news for Bella to bear." _If only you knew, Embry._

"And that's why I pay her the big bucks. So, what's going on?"

"First, _Millenials_ made the _New York Times_ best-seller list last week." I felt my face light up at his words. "Second, the agency wants to sign you on for another book, with a tentative release date of October."

"Really? On what topic?"

"The first one was such a success that they'd like to see you do another financial-focused piece," he explained. "It doesn't necessarily have to be for the same demographic, although that does seem like a good niche for you."

I leaned back in my chair and glanced out the window. Embry's news should have thrilled me. It should have made me so excited that I couldn't stay seated. I was happy, but I didn't feel any of the excitement I ordinarily would.

"Talk to me, Edward. What's going on in that head of yours?"

I turned to face him and sighed. I was at the point where dumping my guts to anyone would make me feel better. Unfortunately Embry and I didn't have that kind of relationship, and I didn't want to mix business with my personal life anymore than I already had. "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind. Summer is approaching and there are quite a few things going on."

"Well, there's about to be a whole lot more going on, my friend. Clear that head of yours and get it in the game."

"I will," I promised. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the top of the desk. "What do we need to do to move on this?"

"I'll arrange a meeting with the publisher for next week," Embry explained.

"Anything I should do?"

He nodded. "Try and think of a few topics to write on. And any specific audiences you'd like to gear it towards."

"Got it." I stood and rounded the desk, slipping my hands in my pockets and looking down at my feet. Embry stood and clamped a hand down on my shoulder.

"You're not yourself today, Edward. I don't know what's eating you up, but I hope it gets easier to deal with."

"Me too. And thanks for everything, Embry. I truly am grateful. I'm just a bit preoccupied at the same time."

"You're welcome. I'll be in touch!" As soon as Embry was on the elevator, I slumped back down in my chair, rested my elbows on my knees, and dropped my head into my hands. I cringed when I looked down at my watch and saw that it was only eleven-thirty. It was then that I began to wish Bella would've given me a more specific time frame.

I sighed and sat up, turning my attention to my computer and the work that awaited me.

As much as I wished I had an answer then and there, I knew I had to be patient.

I had to hold on and I had to wait.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I dialed Edward's number and hung up four different times before deciding I wasn't quite ready to talk to him. I hadn't smoked a cigarette since we were on the book tour, but my emotions were everywhere and it was the one thing I could think of that might help ease my stress.

My mind didn't clear any as I walked to one of the city's many newspaper stands in search of a pack of Camels. I purchased a cup of coffee from a neighboring vendor and stood off to the side, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. I sighed and tipped my head back, closing my eyes and allowing a small smile to dance on my lips. "Why did I ever give these up?"

"Because they'll kill you." I blinked my eyes open and looked in the direction the voice came from. An elderly woman sat on a bus bench, scowling and waving her hand in the air to make my smoke dissipate quicker.

"Excuse me," I mumbled. I shoved the pack of smokes in my pocket and headed off in the direction of my apartment.

I didn't know why it was so hard to make some sort of decision about Edward. I loved him, he loved me, and that meant we should be able to forgive one another for the shitty things we did and move forward, right? It wasn't like he had cheated on me or ran off with one of my friends. He'd dome something stupid months ago, but put a stop to it before it got too far along.

 _Or so he says,_ a tiny voice in my head snarked out. I sighed and took another drag from the cigarette. My whole problem was centered on the fact that a part of me – the part that had been burned by men in the past – just didn't know if trusting him was a mistake or not.

I was about to take another drag from my cigarette when I crashed into someone. I stumbled backward, falling on my ass and dropping the glowing ember. "Shit!"

A hand shot out and I grabbed on, bringing myself to my feet and brushing my palms on the front of my pants. When I looked up to thank who had helped me, I was greeted with a pair of familiar green eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Bell. I said your name about five different times. I thought you heard me." Edward reached out and pulled a piece of a leaf from my hair. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and shoved my hands in my pockets.

"It's my fault. I was daydreaming."

"And smoking," he said, kicking my cigarette butt with the toe of his shoe.

I shrugged. "Stress."

"I can relate."

I took a deep breath and looked up at him again. Sadness lingered behind his features. "What brings you to this side of town?"

"You," he answered, stuffing his own hands in his pockets. "I know you said you'd call me, but when it got to be seven and I still hadn't heard from you I started to get worried. I tried calling a few times, but you didn't answer, so I decided to come by instead."

"I'm sorry about that. I was going to call you when I got back from my cigarette run," I explained. I pulled the pack from my pocket and flipped the lid back, holding it out to him. "What one?"

He shook his head and pointed to his bicep. "I'm still on the patch."

I smiled. "Nice work." I lit another cigarette and pointed in the direction of my apartment. "Walk with me?"

He returned my smile and fell into step beside me. "How was your weekend?"

I shrugged. "I've had better ones, but I'm sure you can say the same. How are you?"

"I've been better, but you already knew that." He pulled his keys from his pocket and toyed with the ring nervously. "Have you put any thought into our situation?"

"I spent all weekend thinking about it, Edward. There wasn't a moment that passed when you weren't on my mind."

"I'll take that as a good thing?"

"I'm still confused, Edward." I came to a stop in front of my apartment building and sat down on the steps. "I'm confused, hurt, and mad. I have no idea what to make of anything. I got all of this crazy news tossed at me over the course of a two day period, and now I feel like I have to hurry up and process it all and make what's going to end up being a monumental decision right away."

He took a seat next to me and blew out a loud breath. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I know I said it already, but I'll keep saying it until you see how true it is. I miss you so much."

"I miss you too," I answered, honesty evident in my voice. "And you don't have to keep saying it, Edward. I know it's true."

"Does that mean I'm at least forgiven for all of this?"

I sighed. "I don't think forgiveness is the big issue here. I mean, it's obviously something I need to do if we're going to move forward, but right now I'm just not sure I can handle the forgetting portion of the equation."

"So you think you can forgive me but you aren't sure you can forget what I did?"

I nodded. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yes and no. I'm not trying to minimize the situation, but I don't entirely understand what there is to forget." I opened my mouth to reply, but Edward continued. "I know Jasper and I should never have made a bet like we did, but it was so long ago, and we didn't go through with it. Are you struggling with forgetting about the bet itself or our shitty behavior surrounding it?"

I looked down at my hands and picked at my nail polish. "I'm struggling with forgetting the fact that you hid it from me for all these months, Edward. And if you hid something like that, then what else might you hide from me?"

He looked up at the sky and ran his fingers through his hair. "What purpose would it serve for me to tell you about the bet when we'd already nixed it? I came to the conclusion that I made a bad choice, and I did what I felt was necessary to rectify it." He turned to face me with conviction in his eyes. "I knew what I felt for you and I didn't want the bet getting in the way. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it, but by that point it was done and irrelevant."

I wanted to say something, but I found myself at a loss for words. I hadn't thought about things from this perspective, and it only added to my confusion.

"What do you need, Bella?"

I scrunched my brows together in confusion. "For what?"

"What do you need me to say or do to make you understand how I feel? What can I do to prove to you that I would never hide something from you or do anything to intentionally hurt you?"

I sighed. "I need more time, Edward."

He raised his eyebrows. "For what?"

"To think about things," I answered.

"Really?"

I nodded. "I get a new perspective on this every time I talk to you. I don't want to jump into some decision that I may end up regretting."

He nodded and clasped his hands together. "How long do you need?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'd rather not put a timeline on it."

Edward sighed. "So we'll stay in limbo until something gets figured out?"

"I guess." I glanced over at him and smiled. "It's better than breaking up until something gets figured out, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "I suppose."

I stood and fiddled with the lid on my pack of cigarettes. "I'll call you this week, okay?"

Edward stood as well, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'll be back over here if I don't hear from you."

"You'll hear from me," I promised, looking up into his eyes. I reached my hand out and ran my fingertips down his cheek and over the thin coat of stubble that had collected on his jaw. He reached up and covered my hand with his, holding it in place and pressing his face into my palm.

"I'll see you soon," he whispered, pulling away and heading off down the street.

I blinked back the tears that had collected behind my eyelids and made my way inside. Tossing my keys and cigarettes on the kitchen table, I grabbed my laptop and headed for my bedroom. A minute later I was curled up in bed, looking at airline fares and wondering how long it would be before Alice and I got saddled with our next big project.

Getting out of the city was a must.

Now I just had to decide where to go.

**-=- HC -=-**

"Hello?" Charlie sounded half asleep and fully annoyed. I glanced at my alarm clock and winced. It was almost two in the morning, which meant it was nearing eleven back home.

"Hi, Dad," I said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"Bell? What time is it? Is something wrong?"

"It's kind of late," I admitted. "Nothing is wrong, I just couldn't sleep. Is mom awake?"

"Let me check." I heard the TV in the background, and that made me smile. I could picture him drifting in and out of sleep in his La-Z-Boy, covered by one of the flannel blankets he had tucked away in the hall closet. "Here she is."

"Bella?" Renee sounded alarmed and I couldn't blame her. "Did something happen?"

"Everything is fine, mom," I explained, pushing back the covers and sitting up in my bed. "I couldn't sleep and wanted someone to talk to."

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of your dad and I." I heard her breathe out a sigh of relief. "Don't you have work to do in the morning?"

"I'm between projects right now, although Alice will probably find something to keep me busy with."

"How's Edward?" At the mention of his name, I felt like a small knife was jabbed into my heart.

"Well, um, Edward and I are taking a little break right now," I began.

"A break? Oh, Bella, what did you do?"

"What did _I_ do? Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom," I spat out sarcastically.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't meant for it to come out like that. What happened?"

I took a deep breath and launched into the story, sparing no details. Renee surprised me by keeping quiet, absorbing the information and waiting until I was done before saying anything.

"What do your friends think about all of this?" she finally asked.

"Well, Rose is ready to kill him and Alice is preaching forgiveness."

"Rose is ready to kill him?" Renee laughed. "That's entertaining coming from her."

"What do you mean? She's being a good friend-"

"Bella, stop." My mom took a deep breath before continuing. "A good friend wouldn't have ambushed you like that. A good friend would have let Edward come to you and share this information with you on _his_ terms, not hers."

"You know Rose, mom. She's very protective, especially when it comes to Alice and me. I don't think she meant any harm by the way she did things."

"Oh, please, Bella." Renee clicked her tongue. "Rosalie has always been the most self-absorbed of your whole social circle. I don't think she was looking out for either one of you when she flapped her gums like that."

"Yes, but had she not flapped her gums, I never would have known about the bet. And I think it's pretty important that I know. Don't you?"

I could almost hear her shaking her head. "Has that knowledge helped you in any way?"

"Not really," I admitted.

"From what I understand, its done nothing but make you skeptical of a situation that up until recently was perfectly fine."

"You'd be skeptical too if-"

"You're right, I would be," Renee said, cutting me off. "All of the bad experiences I had in the past would come out and rear their ugly heads. And then I'd freak out and wonder if I was making the right decision – just like you're doing now. _But_ , had Rose not made you privy to any of this, you'd still be preparing for your move to Edward's place like nothing happened. Right?"

I sighed. "Right."

"Don't you think the bulk of your anger might be misdirected?"

"I don't know what I think," I spat out. "I don't know what I want or what to believe or what direction I should go in. I'm so confused it's ridiculous."

"Well, what do you plan on doing to change that? Sitting around and overanalyzing things isn't going to help much."

I bit my lip nervously and glanced over at my laptop. "I want to come home."

"What? To Forks?"

"Yes, to Forks. There's a flight to Sea-Tac tomorrow morning, I could rent a car and drive the rest of the-"

"Isabella Marie Swan, don't you dare buy that airline ticket!" I stopped mid-sentence and closed my mouth. "You can talk to me, you can talk to Charlie, but you're not – let me repeat, _not_ – running away from things."

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't be running away, I'd be taking a break."

"Call it what you want, but I won't have a part in it this time."

"What do you mean 'this time'?"

"Every time love goes south, I find you on our doorstep," Renee said. "Seth decided he wanted to go home to Wisconsin and you came back here for a month. Ben left for Chicago and you disappeared to Forks in the middle of the night. Edward hasn't even done anything and here you are trying to come home once more. The only difference is you called this time instead of showing up without warning."

"That's so unfair," I argued. "I was planning on returning to Forks before Seth and I ended things. And Ben gave me no warning, mom. I came home from work and all of his shit was gone!"

"And you were a lot younger then too, Bell. You're almost thirty now. You have friends and a support network in the city. You don't need to come back here to clear your mind. You need to stay in New York and deal with everything like an adult."

"So what are you saying? That I'm not welcome at home?"

"Don't be silly, Bella. You're always welcome at home; just not under this exact set of circumstances."

Tears sprang to my eyes once more. I brushed them away and slammed my laptop shut in frustration. "This is so stupid."

Renee chuckled. "Someday you'll thank me."

"Whatever," I mumbled. "I'm going to bed."

"I love you, Bella, and you know that. This is just one of those things you can't run away from."

"Love you too." I clicked the phone off and tossed it on top of the sheets. With a loud sigh I fell back against the pillows and closed my eyes.

Renee had a point, even though I hated to admit it.

Forks was out of the question and I had no backup plan in place.

It absolutely terrified me, but I knew I only had one option left:

I was going to have to face my challenges with Edward head on.

* * *

**Mike's POV**

_Thump, thump, thump._

"Isabella Marie Swan, answer the door right this minute! I know you're in there!" I continued my incessant knocking and rolled my eyes. Deadbolts clicked and the neighbor next door poked her head in the hall.

"Some of us are trying to go to sleep here!" she barked out. I stopped knocking and reached into the plastic bag that hung from my arm.

"I'm staging an intervention," I explained, holding up a pint of Ben and Jerry's. "Boyfriend problems. Give me ten more minutes to get her to let me in? It's only eight-thirty."

The neighbor's expression softened. "Ten minutes shouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks," I said, turning my attention back to the task at hand. I raised my fist to knock again, but heard another deadbolt unlatching. This time it was the one I wanted to hear.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bella spat out, flinging the door open.

" Jesus, Swan, have you showered at all this week?" I pinched my nose shut and looked my friend up and down. Her hair was pulled back in a greasy bun and dirty pajamas hung off her. I stepped forward to go inside, but she pressed her palm flat against my chest and stopped me.

"Now isn't a good time."

"Really? Judging from the look – and smell – of things, now is the perfect time." I grabbed her hand and pushed it away, stepping around her and kicking my shoes off. When I got to the kitchen, I dropped the bag on the counter and crossed my arms over my chest. "Did you and Edward formally break up?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head.

"Then what the hell is going on in here?"

"Oh, shut up Mike. It's not that bad, you're being dramatic." She crossed the room and rounded up empty Chinese take out contains and some soda cans. "Perhaps this will serve as a lesson for why you should call before showing up at my door."

"I never call, and you always maintain your hygiene. Now, you go get yourself cleaned up and I'll get this kitchen straightened out." When she didn't move, I leaned over and smacked her butt. "Scoot! This shouldn't take all night."

As Bella slumped off down the hall, I got busy collecting trash and wiping down surfaces. When Renee had phoned me two days earlier, I didn't think the situation was as bad as she made it sound. Of course I wasn't on the receiving end of her call from Bella either, but I knew she and Edward were just taking a break, which to me didn't warrant any drastic measures. Apparently Bella didn't feel that way, however. Now there I was, ready to do some serious crisis management and knock some sense into my stubborn friend before she made a mistake she'd likely come to forget.

"Happy now?" Bella reentered the kitchen with wet hair, clean clothes, and a makeup-free face. I smiled and tossed the rag I held into the sink.

"I wasn't unhappy, darling, just concerned. And this," I said, pointing at her, "is much better than what greeted me when you opened the door."

She cracked a smile and I knew I was forgiven for my unexpected drop in. "I haven't left the house all week."

"Obviously. Although I can't say I understand _why_. You still have a relationship; you're just on a time out from it."

"Maybe," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning. "We're still figuring that out."

I arched and eyebrow. "You mean _you're_ still figuring that out?"

She looked away and nodded. "He's ready to fix things and move forward. I'm not sure it'll be that easy."

"Swan, nothing about relationships is supposed to be easy." I handed her the bag with the ice cream. "Meet me in the living room. I'll bring the spoons."

"Chunky Monkey or Phish Food?" she asked after we both were seated on the couch.

"Phish Food," I answered, catching the pint when she tossed it at me. I waited until we were a few spoonfuls in before asking any more questions. "So, what's the story behind this uncertainty?"

"I never do a good job of explaining this," she warned.

"Then it's a good thing I've got time tonight."

She sighed. "I want to believe Edward wouldn't do anything to hurt me going forward. But the fact that he already did something that had the potential to break me to pieces isn't helping me find trust."

"That's legitimate," I said. "Of course the fact that he called things off and is still with you also says a lot about whether or not he should be trusted."

"Everyone I've talked to said that. Well, everyone except Rose."

"Don't even get me started on Rose! Has she talked to you at all since last week?" Bella shook her head. "We had a nice, long talk about her completely inappropriate way of handling this situation. She owes you about fifteen different apologies."

"I think she was just trying to look out for me."

"I think you know Rosalie Smith better than that. She was looking out for herself, as always, and you ended up caught in the crossfire."

"How does exposing Edward and Jasper translate into Rose looking out for herself?"

I rolled my eyes. "She's been jealous of Edward since day one."

"Why on Earth would she be jealous of Edward?"

"He won you over, B. Your time intermingled with his, you went on that book tour, now you're moving in together; your girlfriends took the back burner and I don't think Rose could deal with that."

Bella frowned. "They didn't take the back burner though. I mean I didn't try to put anyone there intentionally."

"Sweetie, I didn't mean that in a bad way. It's part of the natural progression of relationships and maturing. Relationships eventually take precedence in life, especially when they're as serious as yours."

"I don't get it." She set her ice cream on the coffee table and stretched her legs out in front of her, resting her feet in my lap. "Rose is with Emmett, and they're happy. She spends the majority of her time with him. How is that any different than what's happening with Edward and me?"

I shrugged. "I think it's human nature. We want to have our cake and eat it too; friends at our beck and call and boyfriend waiting when we get home."

"Well, regardless of what Rosalie's intentions were, the fact still remains that Edward had no intention of doing anything but leading me on when we first started working together."

I sat in silence for a minute, trying to think of how to say the words that were floating around in my head. I knew deep down inside Bella didn't want to let Edward go. And truth be told, I didn't want her to let him go either. I'd never seen my friend as happy as he made her. No matter how their relationship began, this seemed like such a silly reason for it to end.

"Are you in love?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you in love with him? Real love, I mean, none of that puppy dog high school bullshit you hear about."

She nodded. "Of course I am. I wouldn't have agreed to move in with him and share a life together if I wasn't."

"All worries aside, do you want to end things?"

"No," she answered after a minute. "I feel like they've hardly begun in the first place."

"Then there's your answer." I stood and collected the empty ice cream cartons. "You can work on building trust, Bella. You can iron out your expectations; you can make it clear that behavior like that won't be tolerated in the future. You can work through this. But if you end things now, I'm afraid you won't have another chance."

A dozen emotions flickered over her face. In the end, understanding was the one that remained. "I hope he hasn't given up on me yet."

"Edward doesn't give up that easy," I said with a wink, heading off toward the kitchen. Bella was close behind me.

"Should I call him?"

I shook my head. "I think this is more of an in-person type of conversation.

"Maybe I should wait until tomorrow," she said, glancing at the clock. "I'm not sure what time he works in the morning."

I shrugged. "It's already been almost a week since you initially told him you needed a break, right?" Bella nodded once more. "I don't think another twenty-four hours is going to hurt things then."

She stood on her toes and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Mike."

"Aw, Swan, there's no need to thank me. I didn't say anything that you weren't aware of already."

"No, but you challenge me when I need it. And point out the craziness in my thinking."

"As much as I'd love to take credit for this moment, I know there was more than one person challenging you. _And_ pointing out your craziness. I'm just glad my efforts were enough to push you over the edge and back into the sane zone."

She laughed. "I wouldn't say I'm completely sane, but moving in that direction. I'm not sure what I'd do without you and Renee."

"And I you." I pulled her against me in a big bear hug. "Get some rest, Swan. And for gods sakes, don't get all greasy before you go and make up with your boyfriend."

"Get out, Newton."

"Love you, Swan." I slipped my shoes on and blew her a kiss.

Once I was in the hall, I gave a fist pump and smiled.

I had done my part with both Bella and Rosalie.

Now I just hoped everything would go smoothly from there.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

"Fill it up." I pushed the empty lowball across the bar and watched as the man behind filled it with amber colored liquid. I tossed some cash at him and lifted the glass to my lips. The more I drank the easier it went down. Within seconds I had drained the contents, leaving a small pile of ice that rattled when I dropped the glass on the bar.

"Jesus, Cullen. Are you trying to break some record I don't know about?" He reached behind him for the Jack, but I held my hand up to stop him.

"I need a breather," I muttered, wiping my lips on the back of my hand and popping the first two buttons on my shirt. I hadn't been to this bar since before I started spending time with Bella, and when I took a look around I knew why. Scantily clad women lurked in every corner. And I knew it wouldn't be long before one or more of them approached me.

"Where's that sexy little pop tart you traded my bar in for?"

I scoffed and pushed my glass forward again with shaky fingers. "I need a refill if this is where the conversation is headed."

He chuckled and filled the glass once more. "Are you still with her?"

I shrugged. "That's yet to be determined," I admitted. The look of confusion on his face coupled with my drunken stupor provided enough encouragement for me to continue. "I did some stupid shit before we were 'official' and it came back to bite me in the ass. Now she needs _time_ and _space_ to see if things will work or not."

"Time and space, huh? That's a classic excuse my friend. Step one on the road to relationship doom."

"Thanks for the confidence," I spat out, rolling my eyes and taking a big sip of whiskey. "She needed more time to think. It's been almost four days and I haven't heard anything. How much time do I give her?"

"Fuck that, man." He grabbed a rag and started wiping down the mahogany. "Too much time means she gets too much control. I say if you don't hear from her tomorrow you walk away."

"Really?" I shook my head and rubbed my temples in an effort to clear the haze that clouded my mind. "That thought never crossed my mind."

"Leaving?"

"No, taking the reigns and giving _her_ an ultimatum." _It's about time someone talked some sense into you._ The old Edward was piping up in the back of my mind.

"Hell yeah, dude. It's one thing to compromise, but lying down and becoming her doormat is an entirely different deal. You aren't a pussy, Cullen; or at least you weren't before you got paired up."

"He's not a pussy," Jasper said, dropping down on the stool next to me. "He's in a committed relationship with a woman he loves. There's a difference."

"Thank you," I mumbled. Jasper took my glass and slid it down the bar.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Drowning my sorrows."

"So I see. What I don't understand is why you're drinking them away?"

"Because I'm tired of sitting at home thinking about how fucked up everything is."

"Then call me or Emmett or your dad and get out of the house."

"Did you tell my parents?" I looked over at him in shock. Jasper shook his head quickly, dispelling my fears.

"No, I didn't say anything. That's up to you and Bella to share."

"Sorry, I don't know why I assumed that." I reached for my drink, but Jasper pushed it further away.

"I think you've had quite enough tonight," he said, looking at me with a sad expression. "When was the last time you talked to Bella?"

"Monday."

"What happened?"

I shrugged. "She told me she needed more time to think about things. Essentially she's forgiven me, she knows she loves me, but she doesn't know if she can forget what I've done."

"We didn't exactly do anything though. Well, we did, but we made it stop before it snowballed out of control."

"I know," I said. "I tried to explain that, but it's no use. We're on her timeline and I have to accept that."

Jasper chuckled. "I could kill Rosalie right now."

"That makes two of us." I fiddled with my napkin and stared down at the bar. "How are things with Alice?"

"Well, she's less pissed than she was last week. I think she's mostly sad for Bella."

I sighed. "How did we get into this mess?"

"Alcohol." Jasper glanced at his watch. "You ready to go? This place doesn't really fit you anymore."

I nodded. "How did you know I was here?"

"Embry."

"Ah, yes. I did mention my evening plans to him."

"I'll grab a cab while you pay?"

"I already paid, but I need to break the seal before we go."

Jasper laughed. "I'll see you outside."

I was on my way to the restroom when an attractive blonde approached me.

"What's a guy like you doing here alone?" she asked, stepping in front of me and resting her hand on my forearm. Blonde hair fell over tan shoulders, large breasts protruded from the top of her dress, and curvy hips gave way to a perfectly shaped, round ass. She had every physical attribute I loved, but her presence made me feel absolutely nothing.

"Going home," I said, trying to step around her. She stepped the same direction, however, and placed her hand flat against my chest.

"Mind if I join you?"

I cleared my throat and pushed her hand away. "I think I'll pass."

"Aw, c'mon baby. We could have so much fun together."

The old Edward would have taken the bait and been in the car with her already. Being with Bella had changed me though, and this woman's efforts seemed rather pathetic. "No thanks," I said, shaking my head. I turned and headed for the door before she could respond.

My head – and heart – were heavy as I climbed into the back of the taxi with Jasper.

I missed Bella. I missed her more than I'd ever missed someone before, including Jessica.

I wanted everything to be okay. I was willing to do anything to make things okay again.

I just wanted to find a way to get Bella back.

**-=- HC -=-**

At five the next night there was a knock on my door. I was nursing the tail end of my whiskey hangover and didn't feel like being social.

"Hang on," I called when the knocking didn't stop. I paused the movie I'd been watching and padded to the foyer. "What do you…" I lost my train of through when I swung the door open and saw Bella standing there.

Her eyes widened. "Do you always answer the door in your boxers?"

I chuckled. "Only when I'm hung-over and too lazy to get dressed."

"Hung-over on a Thursday? That's not normal for you. Special occasion?"

"An unsuccessful attempt to drown my sorrows," I explained. I stepped to the side and gestured behind me. "Do you want to come in?"

"Yes," she answered, walking around me and kicking off her shoes. "Even though it's only been a week I've missed this place."

"I've missed seeing you in this place," I admitted. I crossed the room and gathered up an empty pizza box.

"So…" She took a seat on the couch and crossed her legs at the knees.

"Sorry for the mess," I said, rushing to fill the uncomfortable silence. "I haven't felt much like cleaning."

"I didn't even notice," she said, meeting my eyes.

"So what's going on? I wasn't sure if I was going to hear from you."

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "I shouldn't have stretched this out as long as I did."

"It's okay, you don't owe me any apologies. You needed to take as much time as necessary to sort through things."

"Thank you for being so understanding, Edward."

"It's the least I could do given the circumstances." I rounded the coffee table and pointed to the cushion next to her. "Can I sit here?"

"Of course," she said, moving her purse to the floor. I took a seat and rested my hands in my lap. "So, I'm sure you know I came by to talk." I nodded and she continued. "I've had plenty of time to think about things, which you also know."

"Can I say something?" I blurted out.

Bella shook her head. "Please let me finish first. When Rose and Alice first told me about the bet, I was completely blindsided. Everything was going so good between us; we'd had an amazing run on the book tour and were preparing to move in together. When the girls left that night I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me and crashed my lovely world.

"I've been burned before in the past by men, Edward. Well, by one man in particular, and that was Ben. I believed that Ben loved me, and perhaps he did. But it shattered me when he left, and even more so when I found out he'd been planning it for months before it happened. I made myself a promise after that relationship ended that I wouldn't let just anyone in my heart again. I erected a wall, coined it impenetrable, and moved forward. Then I met you…

"I had no idea who you were that first night until Alice and Rosalie educated me. I was well aware of your reputation, and I didn't think there was much you could do that would make me even consider trusting you. Of course you somehow managed to break down that wall I built, and before I knew it I was in love, you were in my heart, and for the first time since Ben I was actually considering settling down and intertwining my life with someone.

"When I found out about the bet, my mind went straight back to Ben's departure. All I could think about was how I'd invested so much of myself in that relationship, and given my trust, only to find out he'd been betraying me for months. I know that you and Jasper ended the bet before we got serious – I've known that since Rose told me and you and I first talked – but I couldn't help but think that maybe I'd made a mistake by giving you my trust. I couldn't help but wonder if every 'I love you' was a lie, or every action a part of some carefully constructed scheme that would result in my being broken hearted once more.

"Making a bet was a shitty thing to do, Edward. I would never, ever do that to someone, no matter what the intentions were. Part of me still thinks that breaking up might be the best way to make you realize how serious something like that has the potential to be. But a bigger part of me – a part that Mike and my mom helped me discover – knows that you aren't the same Edward you were when you made that bet. And even though it might take a bit of time before I _fully_ trust you again, I still want to be with you."

Everything I'd wanted to say when she first came in no longer mattered. My mind was now moving in one direction. "Does this mean…?"

"I love you, Edward." Her voice cracked with emotion. "I love you and I want to make this work."

My shoulders slumped with relief and it felt like a huge weight had slipped off of them. "I love you too, Bella. I love you so much." I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me and pressing my lips against the top of her head. She ran her hands up my chest and linked her fingers behind my neck. I leaned back and looked down at her. Tears glistened in her eyes and a smile lit her face. I dropped my head down and brushed my lips against hers.

For the first time in a week it felt like things were starting to go right.

For the first time in a week I felt like I was truly home.

If I had things my way, I would never let Bella go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a HEA kinda gal. Did I ever tell anyone that?
> 
> For those who would like to have heard more from Edward at the end there, rest assure you'll hear more in the next chapter. This one was already getting too long and I had to cut it off somewhere. He's not totally of the hook (and neither is Rosalie for that matter). And for those who wish that Bella would have put his nuts through a cheese grater, I'm sorry. I believe in forgiveness, and in my world, people don't give up on love that easily.
> 
> THANK YOU SO FUCKING MUCH FOR STICKING AROUND AND BEING HERE! Even though it took me FOREVER to get this chapter written. It means the world to me that anyone is sticking around. I hope you enjoy the rest of this story.
> 
> So much love for you all... I'll see you soon. :)
> 
> xo


	31. Moving On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been way too long, I know.
> 
> Thank you all for your patience. I somehow managed to complete the 200+ page beast that is my graduate portfolio, pass it, and am graduating a week from Saturday! *tosses glitter around* This means that school is done, and therefore I have quite a bit more time on my hands to devote to writing.
> 
> I know there's a few new readers, and I wanted to say welcome and thanks for being here. And to the rest of you, who have stayed unbelievably loyal during my absence, thank you so much. I never, ever meant to go as long between updates on this story, but writing just hasn't been in the cards for the past few months unfortunately.
> 
> There's a little note waiting at the end.
> 
> Chapter Song: The Story by Brandi Carlile
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM, recognizable faces and places belong to their owners, and the rest I'll call mine. :)

**Edward's POV**

"This is precisely why I wanted to hire movers." I leaned against my kitchen counter and wiped the sweat from my brow.

"It's not _that_ bad, Edward," my dad argued, pushing a two-wheeler of boxes into the living room. "She isn't moving an overabundance of things."

"So?" I whined. "I like the convenience factor."

Carlisle shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder if they switched my son out at birth."

"Oh, believe me, I've wondered the same thing at various points in my life."

"Okay you two, it's too early for this!" Mike set a potted plant down on the countertop and placed his hands on his hips. "Standing around bickering isn't going to make that trailer downstairs unload any faster."

Jasper emerged with a second two-wheeler. "Who's bickering?"

"Nobody," I groaned.

"Where are the girls this morning?" Carlisle asked, changing the subject.

"Alice had a family thing come up," Jasper explained.

"And Bella is having lunch with Rose," Mike piped up.

Jasper snorted out a laugh. "Did anyone bring bail money?"

Carlisle frowned. "Why do we need bail money?"

"Never mind dad," I muttered, glaring at Jasper. My parents still had no knowledge of the bet, or the momentary fallout it caused Bella and I, and I wanted to keep it that way. "Can we get the rest of this stuff moved please? The sooner the better."

"Someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of an _empty_ bed today," Mike joked, earning another laugh from Jasper. I simply rolled my eyes and headed for the elevator. Moving was at the top of my list of least favorite things to do, and as excited as it made me to have Bella living with me, hauling all of her things across town was the last way I wanted to spend my Saturday morning.

"Where is she keeping the rest of her stuff?" Jasper asked when we reached the street again.

"Storage," I explained, unlocking the trailer for another round. "She was going to keep it in her place, but we found renters so quickly that everything has to get cleared out."

"Her place?" Jasper frowned. "I thought she elected not to purchase the apartment?"

"That was before all the bet shit came out," I explained. "She got nervous during our weeklong break and decided to keep the place as a backup plan in the event that we didn't end up back together."

"And her landlords wouldn't let her out of it? It seems like such a short time period."

I shrugged. "I don't think she even brought it up to them to be honest. She felt bad about changing her mind again, so we had a talk and decided to keep the place."

"When do the renters move in?"

"June first."

"I hope for your sake the apartment needs a minimal amount of work. Have you forgotten we'll be overseas for the last week of the month?"

"I hired a contractor to take care of some renovations. Esme is going to oversee the work and make sure all is good to go."

"Nice," Jasper said. I nodded and began loading up another stack of boxes, locking the trailer and following my friend inside when we were ready.

Six hours later we dropped the last of Bella's belongings off at the storage garage. Carlisle left to return the trailer and go home, while Jasper, Mike, and I made a pit stop at the bar.

"Three Stellas," I told the waitress, pulling out my wallet. "Drinks are on me, guys, as is dinner. Thanks for helping out."

Mike flopped down on the opposite side of the booth and sighed. "I can do a few drinks, but I have dinner plans with Laurent and his sister. Assuming I can still walk by the time I get home, that is."

I rolled my eyes. "You moved a potted plant, two garment bags, and about six small boxes. I'm sure you'll walk just fine."

"Have you ever tried lifting a garment bag for someone when that someone is best friends with Rosalie Smith? It's like bench pressing at the gym!"

"Have you ever bench pressed at the gym?" I joked.

Mike shook his head. "No, but I have spent many hours checking out the guys who _do_."

I chuckled and turned to Jasper. "Are you up for a burger or something?"

"I have dinner plans with Alice, unfortunately," Jasper explained, shaking his head.

"Well then I guess drinks are on me," I repeated, tipping my beer back and gulping half of it down in one swig.

"Anyone heard from Bella or Rose? Are we sure they're both still alive?" Mike asked.

"Bella texted me a while ago, so I know she's safe and sound," I laughed.

"God, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that meet up." Mike said, shaking his head.

"Well, I'm sure I'll get to hear all of the details when she gets home tonight, so if there's anything good, I'll make sure to relay it."

"As long as everyone is in good spirits when we get to Paris, that's all that matters," Jasper stated, setting his empty beer bottle down and stretching his arms above his head. "The last thing we need is a steady stream of bickering while we're all trying to enjoy ourselves."

"The last time I checked, my ticket didn't say I was attached at the hip to anyone while on this trip," Mike said. "When the bickering starts, Laurent and I exit stage left."

"There will be no bickering," I said, finishing my second beer. "Paris should be the jumping off point for starting out fresh. You know, the past is in the past, water under the bridge and all."

Mike snorted, causing beer to spew out of his nose and all over the table – and Jasper.

"What the fuck, man?" Jasper grabbed some napkins and wiped his arm. "Why is that so funny?"

"Have either of you met Rosalie? There is no such thing as 'water under the bridge' with that woman. She holds a grudge better than anyone I know."

As my friends continued to banter, I leaned back in the booth and closed my eyes. _The worst part is over,_ I thought to myself. Then I remembered that my apartment was full of boxes and I sighed.

Paris was on the horizon, and served as a light at the end of the tunnel for me. The closer we got to the trip, the more relief I felt. When we boarded the plane it would mean Bella's moving process was over and the end of the renovations at her old place were in sight.

I blinked my eyes open and looked between Mike and Jasper. "One more round and then we can go?" They both nodded their approval, and I signaled the waitress.

I was tired and hungry, and the night was still relatively young. But at the same time, I was just another New York man who longed to get home to his girlfriend and start the next stage of his life.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Some people got off on confrontation.

I wasn't one of them.

It had been two weeks since I made the choice to reconcile with Edward. Two weeks filled with chats regarding our future together and our expectations for the relationship. Two weeks of packing, double dating with Jasper and Alice, and helping Mike pick out color swatches for Laurent's kitchen (he insisted it needed a new paint job).

The only thing missing from those two weeks was Rose. She'd tried calling me numerous times, but I just wasn't ready to talk to her. I had a hard time believing her actions were intentionally malicious like Mike and Renee thought. Sure, she could be self centered at times, and Edward never quite made her list of favorite people, but I also knew she genuinely cared about me, and not just for self-serving purposes. However, I was still upset over how she had handled the situation, and that made me decide to wait a little longer before talking to her.

So, while the guys were busy moving my belongings across town, I decided it was time to meet Rose and confront her about everything. I was calm, confident, and collected when I arrived at the restaurant. As soon as I saw my friend, a wave of anxiety hit me.

"It's nice to know you're still alive and well," Rose said, taking a seat across from me and dropping her purse on the table. "It would have been even nicer for you to have picked up the phone one of the twenty times I tried calling you."

Frustration quickly took the place of my anxiety. "I wasn't ready to talk."

"I don't get it," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Edward does something devious and you let him off the hook right away, but I get punished for being the one who told you? Have you ever heard the saying 'don't shoot the messenger'?"

"Edward did not get off the hook right away," I argued. "I almost made the decision to leave him for good, and the time I spent thinking about it wasn't easy on him at all. I'm not upset that you told me about the bet, Rose, I'm upset about the way you chose to do it."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry if I thought it best to hit the nail directly on the head. Next time a situation like this happens, I'll make sure to beat around the bush for weeks and let you figure it out on your own."

"Hitting the nail directly on the head is the understatement of the year! You ambushed me, Rose. You didn't even give me time to unpack from my trip before you were knocking down my door and dumping all of this shit on me." From the corner of my eye I saw the waiter approaching, but Rosalie threw him a glare that stopped him in his tracks. He spun around and quickly headed back in the direction of the kitchen.

"We had already waited for five days by then, Bella. Neither one of us wanted to sleep another night with that knowledge weighing down on us."

"Well I'm glad you were able to get all of that knowledge out then. I'm sure you got a magnificent night of sleep after that," I said sarcastically.

"How would you have preferred for this to play out, Bella? Would you have preferred to hear it from an outside source? Would you rather Alice and I brushed it under the rug and acted as if we knew nothing? I mean, we could have kept it between the guys and us and left you out completely. Would that have made you happy?"

I rubbed my fingers against my temples and closed my eyes. I hadn't come to argue with Rosalie, but I wasn't willing to leave without getting an apology. "In a perfect world, you would have discussed this with Emmett – and only Emmett – and dropped it after you discovered Edward and Jasper had done the same with the bet." Rose opened her mouth to speak, but I held my hand up and silenced her. "We don't live in a perfect world, and I get that. I'm glad you and Alice did tell me; I would have been hurt had I found out you were keeping a secret like that after. But there's a respectful way to do this kind of thing, Rosalie, and it doesn't involve staging an ambush like you did.

"You could have called me after I got back and asked to meet up with me, Rose. You could have told me you had something you needed to talk to me about, and then we could have had a civilized, adult conversation about the subject. Or you could have called Edward and told him you knew and asked that he come clean with me himself. Any one of those ways is how I would have preferred for this to play out."

"If I was in your shoes, I would have wanted to hear it from my friends, and I would have wanted to hear it sooner rather than later," Rose said.

"I understand that, Rose, but that's what _you_ would want. I'm not you, and while I'm grateful to have friends who look out for me, I don't appreciate it when they assume know what's best for me, especially when it comes to my relationships."

Rose looked down at her hands and blinked several times. When she looked back up at me, tears brimmed her eyes. "When Ben left, you were so tore up. I remember sitting at Sarabeth's with Alice and asking her when we'd see you laugh again. It took you months to get back to being even close to how you were before him. And you didn't deserve to be hurt like that, Bella.

"The first thing that came to my mind when I overheard Jasper and Emmett at the party was your face. Not the face you wear today, but the face you wore after that breakup. Before Ben, you could light up a room with your smile. He took that smile with him when he left, and he took the sparkle in your eyes as well. It came back, slowly but surely, but nobody put that fire in you like Ben did … Until Edward entered the picture.

"Perhaps I am a bit overprotective of you and Alice, but that's only because I love you both like family. Edward had this nasty reputation, and I didn't want to see you get crushed again. So I erected a wall and refused to believe that he could be good for you. I guess I was almost waiting to find the one bad thing about him that would prove I was right all along, and the bet just so happened to be that one bad thing."

I leaned back in my chair and took a deep breath. While I had expected an explanation, I hadn't considered Ben might be part of it. "I appreciate you being so honest. And I appreciate how you want to protect me, I really do. But I need you to promise me that you'll stop butting in on things, Rose. I'm an adult and if I want to place myself in a situation where there's a risk of getting hurt then I'm going to do that. Life consists of all sorts of experiences, both good and bad, and I don't want to deny myself any of those just because there's a chance I may have to endure some emotional pain at the end."

"I promise," Rose said, wiping some wayward tears off of her cheek. "I'm sorry for ambushing you. And for causing so much shit. For some reason I feel the need to be everyone's mother. If nothing else, it's good practice, which we both know I need."

"Practice? Please - you're nosy, pushy, and ridiculously overprotective. I think you'll have this parenting thing down in no time," I teased. Rose rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Does this mean I'm back on the list of callers you don't need to screen?"

I nodded and laughed. "Yes it does. But, there is one more thing."

"What's that?"

"I think you owe Edward an apology," I said. Rose looked back down at the table and sighed. "Honestly, Rose, he's a good man and this whole thing was just as hard on him as it was on me."

"I know," she admitted. "I'll make things right before we leave for Paris."

"Thank you," I said, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand. "You know I'll always love you like a sister."

"The same goes for you, Bell; even when I have a fucked up way of showing it."

I squeezed Rose's hand and smiled.

Everything was falling nicely back into place, just as I'd hoped. I didn't expect Rose and Edward to adore one another immediately, but I did hope that by the time we made it to Paris, they'd at least be on semi-good terms.

I crossed my fingers beneath the table and took a deep breath.

A girl could certainly dream.

Right?

**-=- HC -=-**

I was putting the finishing touches on dinner that night when I heard Edward's key in the lock. My moving boxes filled the living room, part of the kitchen, and the hallway, but I didn't think my boyfriend would be too worried about emptying them tonight.

"What smells so amazing in here?" Edward asked, rounding the corner and dropping his keys on the counter.

"Just some pasta I whipped up. Nothing special." I crossed the room and stood on my toes, planting a kiss on his lips.

"You must have read my mind from across town. I'm starving." Edward shrugged off the hoodie he had on and tossed it on the counter next to his keys. "I offered to take Mike and Jasper out to dinner as a thank you for helping move your stuff, but they had other plans."

I slid my arms around his waist and rested my cheek against his chest. "I can't say I'm too saddened by that news. I spent all day looking forward to getting a night alone with you."

"Mmm you've had like three nights alone with me this week. What makes tonight so special?"

"It's our first night of officially living together." I felt a blush creep up my neck and into my cheeks as soon as the words left my mouth. "That sounded completely corny."

Edward laughed and kissed the top of my head. "Lucky for you I happen to love corny very much."

I smiled and grabbed his hand, leading him to the dining room table. A few minutes later I had dished up pasta and we were both seated.

"Thank you again for getting everyone together and moving my stuff. I feel like the girls and I should have been there."

"You're welcome. We had everything under control. In fact, things went fairly smooth."

"Mike didn't cause too many problems?"

Edward laughed. "Actually, no. He only complained a few times."

"Wow, I'm impressed! Actually, I'm impressed that he agreed to help in the first place. He's never been one to jump at the chance to do manual labor."

"Well, perhaps this is the first time you've dated a man whose ass he likes to stare at?" Edward joked.

I put down my fork and snorted out a laugh. "That's one way to look at it I guess."

"How did your day go? Mike said you had lunch with Rose."

"Did he tell you to go fishing for gossip?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Nope, but I did tell him I'd offer up the details once I got them."

"That's why he was so willing to help you move," I teased. "You feed him information." I took a sip of wine and pushed my chair back, tucking my legs beneath me. "There really aren't many juicy details to tell. We discussed what happened, Rose knows she was in the wrong and she apologized."

"Is she going to spend the rest of her life hating me?"

"No, she's going to give you a chance – a _genuine_ one."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Edward stood and took our dishes to the sink. "So all is well in our social circle again? Paris can be an enjoyable vacation and not a drama filled nightmare?"

"That is correct," I answered. "Unless you want to cause some drama, of course. That would give us an excuse to spend a day or two in bed together."

"I must admit that's a tempting thought." Edward sauntered across the room and came to a stop in front of me. "I think we might need to get some practice tonight."

I laughed and threw my arms around his neck as Edward picked me up. "What are you doing, crazy man?"

"Carrying you over the threshold of our bedroom. It's the right thing to do before we consummate my bed on our first official night of living together."

"How does one consummate a bed exactly?"

"Fuck if I know." He sat me on the bed and kneeled before me. "It's the right thing to do before we consummate the living-together portion of our relationship. How's that?"

"Much better," I murmured, dropping my head down and pressing my lips against his. His hands slid up my thighs to my waist, where he slowly unbuttoned my jeans and began to tug them off along with my panties. He'd barely touched me and already I could feel myself becoming aroused. I leaned back on my elbows and watched as he dropped my clothing on the floor and spread my legs wide. His eyes were locked on mine as he slid his tongue over my hot, wet sex.

"You taste so good," he murmured against my skin. Hooking his arms around my thighs, he pulled me to the edge of the bed and ran his tongue in teasing circles around my clit.

"Edward," I moaned, tipping my head back and biting my lip. I felt him smile against my skin. He slid one finger, then two inside of me, curling them up and rubbing them against the special spot he knew exactly how to find.

"You like that, baby?" He moved his tongue over me, flicking the tip of it against my clit in time with the motion of his fingers. I opened my mouth to reply, but all that came out was a loud, wanton moan.

I could feel myself nearing the edge when Edward sucked my clit between his lips. I let out another loud cry and braced my feet against his shoulders. "Oh, fuck, right there Edward. So close, so close, so close."

His fingers and tongue worked their magic, and it wasn't long before an intense orgasm tore through me. My back arched off the bed and a stream of incoherent words fell from my mouth. My entire body felt like jell-o as Edward left a trail of kisses across my skin. His fingers were still buried in me when his lips met mine, and I kissed him hungrily, tasting my arousal on his tongue.

"My turn," I whispered, reaching for his belt. Edward shook his head and slid his fingers out of me. I gasped at the loss of contact, but he silenced me by pressing his lips against mine once more. His hands disappeared beneath my shirt, and he pulled away to slide it up and over my head.

"I need to be buried in you," he whispered, his words causing a layer of goose bumps to pimple my flesh. I watched in silence as he stood and rid himself of his clothing. He grabbed his cock in his hand and stroked it roughly, using his thumb to spread the arousal that was pooled at the tip. "Pull your legs back."

I did as he commanded, and he knelt on the bed, slapping he head of his cock against my clit several times before lining up with my entrance and pushing in. "Fuck, you feel so amazing Bella." He leaned over me, placing his hands flat against the mattress on either side of my head and pushing into me with hard, fast strokes.

"Edward," I moaned, wrapping my legs around his waist and digging my heels into the space beneath his ass. I wanted – _needed_ – to feel every inch of him in me, and he responded by thrusting deeper, dropping his head to my chest and circling one of my nipples with his tongue.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, brushing several strands of hair away from my face and pressing his forehead against mine. I let out another wanton cry, and Edward's lips crashed down on mine. I captured his bottom lip between my teeth and bit down gently. He shifted his body, sliding his arms beneath me and grasping my shoulders. His pace became frantic, and I felt myself teetering on the edge once again.

"So close, Bella … won't last much longer…" his choppy sentence was cut off by my scream as he pushed me into another orgasm. My walls clenched around him, and his trusts became erratic. He slammed into me several more times before his movements stilled and he found his own release.

Edward's forehead hit my shoulder and I ran my fingers through his sweaty hair. We stayed still like that, bodies pressed together, for a while before he finally rolled off me and onto his back.

"I love living together."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the giggles that followed. "You're such a dork."

"Yes, but I'm your dork now. And I'm good in bed. That must count for something!"

I rolled onto my side and tucked myself against Edward. "I wouldn't have it any other way, baby."

"Me either," he said, wrapping an arm around me and kissing the top of my head.

I closed my eyes and smiled.

If this was just a practice round, I couldn't imagine the fun nights we'd have in Paris.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

"How many carats are too many carats for this kind of thing?" Edward picked up one of the rings that sat atop the display case and examined it closely.

"I'm not sure there's such a thing as 'too many carats,' sir," the jeweler said with a laugh.

My best friend raised one of his eyebrows and moved on to the next ring. "What about the band? There are so many different options. How does one decide what the best option is?"

"With all due respect, most men do their research before shopping for an engagement ring. The type of metal and any adornments are usually based on the woman's preference. Is your girlfriend partial to one specific type of gold?"

I stifled a laugh as Edward jumped back from the jewelry case. "We aren't looking for my girlfriend," he explained, pointing at me over his shoulder. "That one over here is hoping to take the plunge."

"Well then that one over there should be front and center for this process," the jeweler laughed. I shook my head and stepped around Edward, scanning the array of rings on top of and inside the case.

"Alice would love a rose gold band like that," I said, pointing to one of the rings.

"This is a beautiful ring," the jeweler said, removing it and handing it to me. "The center stone is a one carat princes cut diamond, but of course we can change to a larger or smaller stone at your request. The diamond enhancers are a quarter carat each, and once again we can change those to larger or smaller stones upon your request."

"How many diamonds are there in the band?" I asked.

"There are five princess cut side stones on each side of the band."

"What does the rest of the set look like?" I watched as the jeweler pulled a matching band from the case.

"The wedding band is rose gold as well, and has a total of fifteen side stones that adorn the top half of the ring," she explained, handing me the band as well. I held the two rings next to each other and glanced over at Edward.

"What do you think?"

"I think you could put a twist tie on Alice's finger and she'd still say yes," Edward joked.

I shook my head. "C'mon, man. I brought you with so I could get an honest opinion."

Edward's expression turned serious. He took a step forward and clapped his hand down on my shoulder. "It's a nice ring, Jazz. It suits Alice's personality quite well and I think she would love it."

I smiled. "How much is this one?"

"The set is twelve thousand," the jeweler explained. "If you wanted a larger stone the price would increase, of course."

"I think this stone is just fine," I clapped my hands together and let out a breath of relief. "I'd like to go with it." The jeweler smiled and began walking me through the necessary paperwork. I watched Edward from the corner of my eye, taking note of the wistful expression on his face.

"We should have this sized and ready for pick up in approximately ten business days. Is there a specific number that's good to reach you at?"

"My cell number is the best."

"Perfect. Thank you for coming in today!"

"No, thank _you_ ," I said with a smile. I tucked the ring paperwork away in the pocket of my suit coat and meandered over to my friend. "The worst part is over now, right?"

Edward chuckled. "Unfortunately, no. Buying the ring is easy; it's asking the question that's the hard part."

I shoved my hands in my pockets and sighed. "I'm scared shitless."

"Why?" Edward pushed open the shop door and I followed him out onto the crowded Manhattan street. "Alice only has eyes for you, my friend, and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"Yeah, but all the bet shit just came out and everything happened with you and Bella after that. What if that's got her questioning things between us?"

Edward stopped walking and turned to face me. "Did you discuss the situation?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"And what was her reaction?"

"She said she was disappointed that I would take part in such a thing, but that the past belongs in the past, and the important thing was that we called it off before it went too far."

"And have you had any problems since that involved the bet?"

"Nope," I answered. "We had one long, in-depth discussion, and that was it."

"Then fear not, my friend," Edward said, punching my shoulder lightly. "You'll ask, she'll say yes, and the two of you will ride off happily ever after into the sunset or however they say it."

"I'm glad one of us is confident in this. Perhaps you could send some of that confidence my way before we leave for Paris?"

Edward stopped and turned to face me once more. "Is that where you're proposing?"

I swallowed back the nervousness that refused to leave my throat and nodded. "My mom was the one who suggested it."

"You mean to tell me you're proposing to your girlfriend, who may very well be the biggest romantic I've met, in Paris, and you're worried that she's going to say no to you? Are you fucking crazy?"

I laughed. "A good location does not guarantee a 'yes' my friend."

"Nothing guarantees a 'yes' in this situation, but I think the location might help you out just a tiny bit." Edward glanced at his watch and then up at me apologetically. "I have a meeting with Embry across town in an hour, so I need to get going."

"Shit, we never even got lunch."

My best friend shrugged. "We took care of the most important task though, right?"

"Right." I reached my fist out and Edward bumped his against it. "We're still on for the Knicks game this Thursday, right?"

"Dude, it's a playoff game and it took me weeks to get these tickets. My ass will be in that seat at Madison Square Garden come hell or high water."

"At least we know where your priorities for that night lie," I said with a laugh. "Good luck with your meeting."

"We'll talk later," Edward said, turning to hail a cab. I chuckled and rounded the corner, ducking into the first Starbucks I came across. Americano in hand, I took a seat at an empty table and pulled a rumpled piece of notebook paper from my back pocket. Various sentence fragments that would eventually become my engagement speech were scattered across the page, some with lines slashed through them and others with words underlined three times for emphasis.

No amount of pep talks from Edward or Emmett would keep the thought of proposing from scaring the shit out of me. I loved Alice and I couldn't imagine spending a day of my life without her in it.

I hoped that the words staring back at me were enough to convey that message to her.

I hoped they were enough to make her feel like she could say "yes".

* * *

**Rosalie's POV**

The chairs in my doctor's waiting room seemed to grow more uncomfortable with each visit. I blew out a sigh and rested my head against Emmett's shoulder.

"You haven't been yourself lately," my boyfriend remarked, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing gently.

"My head won't stop pounding," I admitted. "And my feet are starting to swell. I didn't think that happened so soon in pregnancy, but I guess I was wrong."

"Did you take anything for it?"

"Tylenol for my head, but it hasn't helped. I'll ask Dr. Banner about everything during the exam."

A plump nurse emerged and scanned the waiting room. "Rosalie?"

I stood, cringing at the pain I felt in my feet. Emmett took my hand and together we followed the nurse to the exam room.

"Why don't you have a seat in the chair closest to the computer," the nurse instructed, gesturing to one of two uncomfortable looking seats. "I'm going to take your vitals and then Dr. Banner will be in to see you."

I glanced over at Emmett and smiled as the nurse began taking my blood pressure and temperature. I had never been a fan of doctors, and being pregnant hadn't made me any fonder of them. I hoped that by the time the baby came I would be desensitized to office visits.

"Your blood pressure is running high," the nurse noted.

I frowned. "What?"

"Your blood pressure is running high," she repeated. "Dr. Banner will probably want to check it again when he comes in."

"That's odd," I mumbled.

"I'm sure you're just anxious," Emmett said, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

"That could very well be," the nurse agreed. She punched a few more things into the computer and stood up. "If you could take off everything but your panties and put this gown on that would be great. Dr. Banner will be in any minute."

As soon as the nurse left the room and I had changed into my gown, I began to bounce my leg nervously. I'd never had any health problems, and up until now, I'd never had anything of note take place during a check up. A feeling of dread slowly filled my stomach. Something wasn't right, and I just knew it.

The exam room door pushed open and Dr. Banner stepped inside. "Rosalie, Emmett," he greeted us, closing the door behind him.

"What's up, doc?" Emmett said with a laugh. I rolled my eyes and swatted his shoulder. He said the same thing every time we came for a visit, which never failed to put him in hysterics.

"Nothing that wasn't up the last time I saw you," Dr. Banner chuckled. "Twenty two weeks and counting, Rose. Time is flying by."

"It could fly by a little faster, actually," I said. "My feet and head have been killing me."

Dr. Banner looked down at my now-fat feet and frowned. "How long have they been swollen like that?" he asked, pointing at my sausage-like toes.

"A little over a week."

"Can you sit up on the exam table please?" I glanced nervously at Emmett and stood. Once I was seated, Dr. Banner pressed his fingers against my swollen skin. "Some swelling is normal during pregnancy, but this is excessive. You said you've been getting headaches recently too?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"I'd like to take another blood pressure reading before we continue with the exam." The doctor pulled the blood pressure cart over and slipped the cuff around my arm. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as the machine generated a reading. "Your blood pressure is still high," he commented, removing the cuff from my arm.

"What does that mean?"

"It could mean a number of things. I'd like to get a urine sample from you, so I can check the protein levels."

"What for?" Emmett asked, reaching out and squeezing my hand.

"I'm concerned that Rose may be developing preeclampsia," Dr. Banner explained. "The headaches, excessively swollen feet, and high blood pressure are all symptoms, along with an elevated level of protein in the urine."

"Preeclampsia? How did I get that?" I asked.

"I can't say you officially have it until the results of the lab work come in, but it's much easier to get during your first pregnancy," Dr. Banner explained. "It's a serious condition, however, and it leaves patients at an increased risk for seizures, bleeding, stroke, or possibly losing the baby. Therefore, it's important that we test you for it, and if you have it, treat it accordingly."

A thin layer of sweat covered my skin. "How do you treat it?"

"That's something we would determine after reviewing your test results. You're still at least fourteen weeks away from delivery, so I would probably use a combination of medications and bed rest initially."

"So what do we need to do, doc?" Emmett's eyes met mine, and I saw concern embedded in them.

"I'm going to proceed with Ms. Smith's exam as planned," Dr. Banner explained, looking over at me. "I will send you over to the lab when we're finished so they can collect a urine sample. I'm also going to send a blood pressure monitor home with you, and I want you to check your blood pressure every hour over the next twenty-four hour period. I'd like to see you back in the clinic in two days, at which time we'll review the results of your urine tests and take a look at your blood pressure readings. Then we can determine what, if anything, is wrong, and what our course of action needs to be."

"Shit," I mumbled, closing my eyes and tipping my head back. "I hope we can get all of this resolved before we head to Paris next week."

Dr. Banner looked up at me with wide eyes. "Paris?"

I nodded. "We're scheduled to fly out a week from tomorrow."

Dr. Banner stood and crossed the exam room, retrieving a cart filled with ultrasound materials. "I'm afraid you won't be able to go to Paris, Rose."

I felt the color drain from my face. "You're joking, right?"

"Not at all." The doctor took a seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows against his knees. "I can't clear you to fly in this condition. That would put both you and the baby at risk, and I'm not willing to do that."

"Oh my God…" My words trailed off and I choked back the tears that were threatening to surface.

"What if the tests come back clear, doc?" Emmett asked.

"Even if Rosalie doesn't have preeclampsia, she still might have hypertension, which is unsafe to fly with when pregnant. We can discuss this in more detail when the test results come back, but as of right now, my orders will be not to fly." Dr. Banner scooted around the side of the exam table and pulled his glasses out of his lab coat pocket. "Now, if you can lay back on the table for me we can do this ultrasound, and you can see how your little man is doing."

I followed the doctor's instructions, laying back and closing my eyes. Tears were still brewing behind my lids, and I blinked several times to keep them there. I could feel Emmett's stare on me, but I didn't acknowledge it. Despite where I was and who I was with, I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts.

Paris was supposed to be a special trip for everyone. For the first time in as long as I could remember, all of my friends were in long-term relationships, succeeding in their careers, and in generally good places with their lives. Paris was supposed to be our way of celebrating this, and getting a much-needed break from the city.

Now, in less than twenty minutes, one piece of unwelcome news had managed to ruin everything.

I thought back to the silly photo Alice had posted on my Facebook page the week before, with the caption "Paris or bust".

My friends were lucky enough to be going to Paris.

I, on the other hand, was going bust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to do an outtake of what happened after Bella showed up at Edward's door to tell him she wanted to be with him. It just didn't feel right adding more of that to this chapter.
> 
> There's one regular chapter left after this, and then two epilogues. *wipes at tears* This has been my main WIP for so long that I'm kinda freaking out about completing it. But, I'm a bit excited as well. The door to new things is opening and I'm excited to share them with everyone when the time is right.
> 
> Thank you again for being here! I have a Halloween O/S to finish up for a compilation I'm participating in, as well as a FAGE entry, so I will try to get the next chapter of this up within three weeks. It definitely won't take three months. :)
> 
> xo


	32. Chapter 32: At Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It just dawned on me that I forgot to update this here back in May when I updated it on FFn. My apologies to anyone who uses this platform for primary reading. 
> 
> I won't take up too much time here. Thanks to WitchyVampireGirl for ongoing encouragement, afternoons at Panera, and helping me sort things out and push away a long standing creative block. And thank you to Coppertop Johnson for encouragement at a time when I most needed it.
> 
> A big thank you to everyone who is here and reading. Your support in invaluable. I love you all.
> 
> Check the end for a bit more!
> 
> Chapter Song: So Far Away by Staind
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM and public places or prominent figures belong to their respective owners. Everything else is on me.

**Rosalie's POV**

My leg bounced nervously as I checked my watch for what must have been the twentieth time. Edward was fifteen minutes late, and if I didn't know any better, I'd guess he wasn't coming. I did, however, know that he cared for – no, _loved_ – my best friend with his whole heart, and he would indeed show up to hear my apology if it meant something to her.

"Sorry I'm late." The sound of Edward's voice startled me. I watched as he dipped down and perched himself on the chair across from me. "I have fifteen loose ends to tie up before this trip and no time to do it."

"It's no problem," I said, averting my eyes and taking a sip of my water. "Thank you for meeting me, by the way."

"If it wasn't for Bella I wouldn't be here," he reminded me. I swallowed hard, taken aback by his honesty. The friendly Edward that Bella always spoke of was nowhere to be found in that moment. Instead, the successful, cutthroat Edward who didn't waste any time mincing his words greeted me.

"I know that. I'm sorry I ever put you in a position that would make you feel that way." I took another sip of my water before continuing. "I could sit here and give you a long, winded speech about how regretful I am for my actions and how I'm willing to do anything it takes to earn your respect and your trust. It would be true – all of it – but I know that's not why you came here. Instead, I'll say this – I'm sorry, Edward. I'm sorry for saying anything to Bella instead of giving you the opportunity to say something to her yourself. I'm sorry for causing a rift, for jumping the gun before hearing the full story from your mouth, and for almost causing the demise of your relationship. I should have minded my own business instead of getting involved in yours."

"What I don't understand is why you waited all week to execute your ambush? I mean, you claim that you bombarded Bella with the truth like you did because you care about her and want the best for her, right?" I nodded my agreement and he continued. "If you care so much, why didn't you call her right away? Put Jasper on the phone and make him tell her everything? If you thought that I was such a slime ball, and that I was using your friend, why would you have wanted to let her spend a whole week with me? Why not just encourage her to end it right then and there?"

I sat in silence, unsure of how to answer him. Calling Bella right away had certainly crossed my mind, though the idea of having Jasper come clean to her hadn't. "You don't have to believe me if you don't want to, but when it came right down to it, I just wanted my best friend to have some time to enjoy after running herself ragged for months. The bet was already made and the damage done at that point. It didn't seem like there would be much of a difference if I told her that night or the night she got home."

"What damage was done, exactly? Can you enlighten me on that? If I recall correctly, there was no damage done at all because nobody else knew about it and we'd called it off."

The anger in his words shined bright in his eyes as well. I wanted to look away, but forced myself continue meeting his gaze. "Making a bet like that in the first place can cause damage, Edward. That's what I meant."

He drummed his fingers against the tabletop and pursed his lips. "This is where we disagree, Rosalie. Was making the bet a shitty thing of Jasper and I to do? Yes, it was, and I'll fully admit that. But, as Jasper told you and as I've said more than once, we ended the bet – _before_ it could cause any damage. This might be difficult for you to stomach, but there was no damage until you went on your little crusade."

This time I did look away. I closed my eyes and thought back to the months leading up to the White party. Each time I spoke to Bella while she was away on the book tour, she bubbled with excitement. When she came back, she was practically glowing, and seemed happier than I'd seen her in months, and certainly happier than I'd ever seen her with a man before. When she and Edward made the decision to live together, she was bursting with excitement, planning nights they could cook together, times we could all go on group dates, and figuring out ways to decorate the place without upsetting Edward or wreaking havoc on his style. Nothing in my memory screamed, "damaged" … Until I made the knowledge I acquired public, that is.

"You're right." When I looked up at him, tears brimmed my eyes. The last thing I wanted was to start crying. "My big mouth was the driving force behind the damage. But I'd like to hope I could be part of mending that damage as well. I don't expect you to believe me. I've done nothing but show you my worst sides since we first met. But I hope you'll give me a chance to show you that I'm not all that bad. I can certainly change, Edward, just as easily as you or Jasper or Emmett can."

He crossed his arms over his cheat and fixed his eyes on mine. I wanted to falter under his stare, but I didn't, and after a minute or so, he sighed and looked away.

"I don't want to believe it," he admitted. "It's much easier to go on believing you have no soul than making an effort to try and get to know you. But, your friendship means the world to Bella. You and Alice mean the world to Bella. And, if something or someone means the world to Bella, then that means it or they are also important to me."

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until it all left my lungs in a big whoosh. "Does this mean you accept my apology?"

"It does," he said with a nod. "But it also means that it's up to you to prove to me that I'm not making a mistake by doing so."

"My mistake making days are over," I said, before quickly adding, "At least when it comes to you and Bella."

"Good to know." Edward glanced at his watch and stood up. "I have to get back to tying up those loose ends. Tell Emmett I said hey and to take good care of you and that little one in there." He pointed to my stomach and gave me a small smile. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

"Will do. Have fun in Paris!" Edward nodded once more and ducked out of the coffee shop. I took a deep breath and leaned forward, resting my forehead on the top of the table.

Relief washed over me, and I could feel the first of what would no doubt be a wave of tears start to prickle behind my eyelids. I'd dreaded this conversation since Edward returned my call several days earlier, and the fact that we'd not only made it through, but also managed to agree on being civil, was a miracle in and of itself.

I took another deep breath and allowed myself to smile.

I couldn't look forward to going to Paris with everyone, but perhaps I could look forward to starting some new things when they got back.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

The eve of our trip to Paris found me, Alice, and Rosalie seated at our usual table at Sarabeth's. Since Alice and I wouldn't be in town for brunch on Sunday we'd opted to spend the evening together instead.

"I can't believe you won't be going with us," Alice pouted. Rose tried to shrug it off, but her expression gave away her true feelings.

"I have to do what's best for the baby – and for me," she said.

"At least they let you move the travel dates for two of the tickets," I said, trying to point out some light at the end of an otherwise dark tunnel. "I'm sure you and Emmett will both need a break after the baby is a few months old."

" _And_ you have more than enough babysitters ready and waiting to help you out!" Alice piped up.

"I know, and I love you two for trying to cheer me up." Rose stirred her iced tea and sighed. "I was looking forward to enjoying a nice, drama-free week with everyone. It's like things finally leveled out and now another roadblock came up."

"With all due respect, we probably could have avoided about six roadblocks had you left well enough alone and let Edward talk to me about the bet," I pointed out.

Rose gave me the stink eye, but her shoulders slumped in resignation. "I know I've said it a million times between our lunch last week and now, but I truly am sorry. If I could turn back the clock and erase the whole experience I would."

"The important thing is you and Edward worked things out. That's what mattered most to me after all was said and done."

An uncomfortable silence threatened to settle over our table. Fortunately Alice broke it.

"I think Jasper has something up his sleeve."

I focused my eyes on her, welcoming the topic change. "Why do you say that?"

"He's been acting very weird lately."

"Weird how?" Rose asked.

"It's hard to explain, because you two aren't around him and you don't interact with him in the same way I do, you know?" Alice thought for a moment before continuing. "He's been nervous and fidgety. He starts to ask me questions, then stops and backtracks. And I keep catching him writing in what looks like a journal, but if he notices me, or when I ask about it, he brushes it off and puts it away quickly."

"Maybe he's working on a special project?" I suggested. Rose nodded in agreement, but Alice frowned.

"What kind of project would he need to hide from me?"

Rose speared several pieces of macaroni with her fork. "Maybe it's for work and he's not allowed to discuss it with anyone?"

I nodded. "Or maybe he's planning a special surprise for the two of you? For Paris or for when you get back?"

Alice seemed to relax as we offered up our ideas. "That's probably it."

I reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "What did you think was going on?"

Alice shrugged. "I thought he might be unhappy with us," she admitted. "It's usually not a good sign when people start to get distant and act like they're hiding things."

"Oh, sweetie, Jasper is smitten with you." Rose put her fork down and looked Alice in the eye. "He's a good man who cares immensely for you. If something were wrong, he would come directly to you and discuss it. He's not the type to let things fester until they reach a breaking point."

As Alice sat in silence, taking in Rose's words, I let my mind drift off to what Edward had told me earlier in the week. Jasper planned on proposing to Alice – something that I wasn't supposed to know, but Edward couldn't keep to himself. The journal she saw him toting around was actually a notebook that contained what would eventually become his proposal speech – _if_ he could manage to finish it.

I wanted to kick Edward for telling me any of this. It was bad enough trying to contain my excitement over something I knew was coming. Now I had to watch one of my best friends fret over nothing, and I couldn't do much of anything to comfort her.

"Rosalie Smith, are you feeling okay?" Alice leaned across the table and pressed her palm against Rose's forehead.

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"You just complimented one of the two evil betsters," Alice laughed. I rolled my eyes, but cracked a smile.

"Oh, shut up," Rose huffed. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't hate everybody. Just those who I feel deserve it."

"Well, I for one am happy you decided to embrace the concept of second chances," I said, reaching across the table and squeezing Rose's hand. "And I know Edward appreciated the discussion you two had."

Rose smiled. "I appreciated it too, believe it or not."

Alice glanced at her phone and sighed. "I have to go. I have a list of things I need to get from Duane Reade, and I still have to pack."

I felt my jaw drop. "You haven't packed anything yet?"

"I may have set aside a few pairs of shoes." Alice shrugged. "You know me. I'm a last minute kind of gal when it comes to traveling."

"And yet you somehow manage to pack everything but the kitchen sink," Rose joked.

"I like to travel prepared!" Alice winked and reached for her wallet. I grabbed her wrist and shook my head.

"It's my turn to pay." When nobody objected, I whipped out my cash card and flagged down the waitress. Once the check was settled, the three of us meandered outside to say our goodbyes.

"Take lots of pictures for me!" Rose exclaimed, hugging each of us. "And eat a pile of high calorie French pastries!"

"I think between the two of us we can manage that," I said with a wink. Alice nodded, and we swept one another up for one final group hug.

"I love you two! I'll see you in ten days." Rose ducked into the back of her waiting car and shut the door softly. Alice and I watched as the vehicle pulled out and disappeared around the corner.

"So, you're off to pack?"

Alice nodded. "After I stock up on magazines and toiletries."

"Godspeed, my friend," I joked. Alice stuck her tongue out and smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

"Bright and early," I said with a nod.

I stepped forward to hail a cab, but stopped myself. The weather was nice, the city was alive, and I didn't mind walking. I pulled my phone out and sent Edward a quick text, letting him know I'd be home later than planned, then began my journey.

The Concrete Jungle would always be my home.

But, I couldn't wait to get to Paris.

**-=- HC -=-**

"For fucks sakes, can this plane land already?" Mike grumbled.

"You need another Xanax," Laurent said, rolling his eyes.

"It's a seven and a half hour flight," Alice pointed out. "We've been in the air for seven hours, so we should land soon."

"Thank fuck." Mike took the small orange pill from Laurent and popped it in his mouth. "I feel like a god damn toy that's been wound too tight."

Laurent crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Mike. "You're acting like a child right now, sweetie, so feeling like a toy is rather fitting."

"Well excuse me Mr. I-love-to-fly-and-my-family-took-me-around-the-world. Maybe you should just stow me in the cargo hold next time and that will solve all of your problems!"

"If only that were an option," Edward mumbled. I elbowed him gently and he leaned his head on my shoulder.

"Please stop," Jasper pleaded from his seat next to Alice. "We can't start bickering while we're still in the air. At least wait until we've checked into our hotel."

"Nobody's bickering," Laurent said matter-of-factly. "When Mike whines, I point it out. That's all."

"And when Laurent becomes an asshole, I point it out." Mike turned to Laurent and narrowed his eyes. "Vous êtes un trou du cul!"

Alice cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm impressed! Someone brushed up on his French before we left."

"I may have visited an online translator or two," Mike said with a wink.

While the Xanax kicked in and Alice kept Mike preoccupied, the rest of us began to put our books, iPads, and iPods away in preparation for our landing. Once the plane was on the ground and we had our luggage, we set off in search of the driver that Rose had arranged.

"Bienvenue à l'aéroport international Charles de Gaulle," a female voice came over the loudspeaker.

"What is she saying?" Mike asked. Alice held an index finger up toward the ceiling.

"Welcome to Charles de Gaulle International Airport," the same female voice said in English. The usual airport jargon followed, in both French and English.

After a few minutes of searching, we found our driver and were ushered off to the hotel. Edward and I were both hungry by the time we got checked in and finished unpacking.

"We need to find some food," he muttered, rubbing his grumbling stomach.

"It's after eleven. Do you think anything is open?"

"There must be something," Edward said, grabbing one of the local guides that littered the desk in our room. As he flipped through the pages, he looked more and more confused. "I'm not fluent enough in French to read these."

"Let's check with Jasper and Alice," I suggested. I grabbed my purse and Edward followed me down the hall to our friends' room.

"Food?" Jasper didn't bother with a greeting. Edward and I both nodded.

"There's a pizza joint not far from here. It's probably our best bet at this hour," Alice called from inside the room.

"Our first night in Paris and we're going out for pizza," Edward laughed. "Who'd of thought?"

"At this point, I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me first," Laurent said, joining us in the hall.

"Where's Mike?" I inquired.

"Passed out. Between the Xanax and the cocktail he insisted on having once we were checked in, I think he'll probably be sleeping for a few hours, if not longer."

Edward sighed in relief. "I'm sorry to be like this, but I'm not disappointed in the least. Between the airplane freak out and the constant yammering in the limo, I'm happy he's not joining us for dinner."

Laurent just laughed. "Oh, honey, that makes two of us. I love the man, but I don't like him very much today."

The pizza place was within walking distance of the hotel. I couldn't take my eyes off of the buildings that surrounded us. Paris felt like a completely different world, and I didn't want to miss a minute of it.

"Has anyone bothered to read over our itinerary?" Laurent asked, tugging a few sheets of rumpled paper from his fanny pack.

"That fanny pack has win written all over it," Jasper said with a laugh.

"Tell that to the fashion designing mama back home. She never would let me out of the house, let alone in the airport, if she saw me wearing it!"

"I think I read in Cosmo that they're making a comeback," Alice said with a wink. Laurent simply rolled his eyes and spread the itinerary out before him.

"What's this Versailles bike tour on Tuesday?" Laurent scrunched his nose and looked around the table.

"We take a train out to Versailles and then do a bike tour around the gardens," Alice explained. "I believe we also stop at a market and have a picnic while we're there."

"Is that the only pre-arranged activity we have as a group?" Edward asked. Alice nodded.

"Rose has traveled here so much with her family that I think she planned on showing us around and taking us out for some things," I said. "It's nice, because we have a lot of freedom with our schedules now."

"That _is_ nice," Jasper said, leaning over and giving Alice a kiss on the cheek. "I wanted to spend some quality time with my lady here."

"Let's not get started on that quality time while the rest of us are trying to eat, mmmkay?" Laurent threw Jasper a wink and took a giant bite of pizza.

Edward laughed. "You're not exactly one to talk there, Giuseppe. You and Newton are the Kings of PDA."

" _Queens_ of PDA," Jasper corrected. Laurent picked up a breadstick and tossed it across the table.

I surveyed the scene before me and couldn't help but smile. We were all exhausted from our travels, but it was nice to see everyone in one place with smiles decorating their faces.

"I think a toast is in order," I said, picking up my bottle of mineral water and holding it in the air. The rest of my friends followed suit and looked expectantly at me. Unfortunately I had nothing profound to say, so I said the first thing that came to mind. "To Paris."

"To Paris," they echoed, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the air.

I couldn't think of a better way for our week to begin.

* * *

**Edward's POV**

When we were four days into our Paris vacation, Bella and I finally got to spend time together – alone.

I had spent the week before our travels trying to plan what I hoped would become the perfect romantic night out. After all, they didn't call Paris "The City of Love" for nothing. I checked some places out online, asked my mom for a few suggestions, and finally figured out a plan. Bella and I had taken in an early show and then enjoyed a bottle of wine and some French pastries at a café along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Now we had arrived at our final destination for the evening, where I hoped to show her just how much I adored her.

"Where are we?" Bella's eyes were closed as I helped her out of the taxi. After I paid the driver I stepped up behind her and withdrew a silk scarf from my pocket.

"You're about to see," I whispered as I gently tied the scarf around her head, creating a soft blindfold.

"You're really pulling out all the stops tonight, Cullen," she joked.

I dipped my head down and pressed my lips gently against her bare shoulder. "You haven't seen anything yet, Swan." I took one of her hands in mine and guided her slowly toward the hotel entrance. The front desk staff, having recognized me from earlier in the day, waved their greetings and watched on as we made our way to the elevator. A moment later I withdrew the key from my pocket and unlocked the door.

"Are we there yet?" Bella smiled at the sound of the lock clicking into place behind us.

I slid a finger over the soft skin of her cheek and down her jaw, smiling when I saw her shoulders shake with the shiver that followed. "We're here," I whispered, tugging at the blindfold. The fabric loosened and fell away from her eyes.

"What is this place? It's beautiful." She spun in a circle, taking in our surroundings. When I had first checked out the One by the Five, it seemed rather cheesy to me. The more I thought about ending the night there, the more the hotel grew on me, and now, as I watched the expression on Bella's face, I knew I'd made the right decision.

Our room was designed to look – and feel – like we were sleeping among the stars. The floor beneath us was dark in color and adorned with small white twinkle lights and sweeping paintings of clouds. The ceiling above mirrored it, and the large bed, covered in a white comforter and fluffy pillows, was suspended from the wall. The lights in the room were dimmed, casting shadows on everything and silhouetting the woman I loved in a warm glow.

"We're at a small boutique hotel," I explained, slipping off my shoes and opening the first button on my shirt.

"You arranged all of this?"

I nodded. "I wanted us to have a night we'd never forget while we were here in Paris."

"It would be impossible for me to forget any of the moments I've had here with you."

"Yes, but I wanted this one to stand out among the others." I took her hand and pulled her against me, kissing her forehead gently.

"Well, you've succeeded in making it so. This evening screams perfection in more ways than one." Bella looked up at me and smiled.

"You scream perfection in more ways than one."

She laughed. "Nobody screams perfection. We just happen to fit perfectly with some people."

"Well, I couldn't have asked for a better person to fit perfectly with." I shook my head and chuckled. "In case you hadn't noticed, Paris makes me incredibly lame and cheesy."

"Well, it's not the first time I've seen your incredibly lame and cheesy side, and I doubt it will be the last."

"True. I mean you _do_ live with me now. You have unlimited access to all sides, good, bad, ugly, or otherwise."

Bella wound her arms around my waist and began running her hands up and down my back. "Good, bad, ugly, or otherwise, I wouldn't have you any other way."

"I can say the same for you, Ms. Swan." I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers gently. She melted easily into the kiss, opening her mouth and brushing her tongue against mine in a dance that never failed to take my breath away. Goosebumps peppered the soft skin on her arms and my fingers found their way to her silky hair. I took several steps back, stopping when I bumped into the bed.

"I need a step ladder to get up there," she joked when we parted.

"Nah, that's not necessary." I grabbed her waist and lifted her off the ground, spinning around and depositing her on the edge of the large bed. She laughed and fell backwards, stretching her arms over her head and wrapping her legs around my waist. I slid my hands beneath the fabric of her dress and up her thighs, stopping when I reached the edge of her black stockings. "I can only imagine how incredibly sexy these look on you."

Bella propped up on her elbows and fixed me with a seductive stare. "Perhaps you'll get a look."

"That's tempting," I said with a smile. "But right now, I have something else to show you." I crossed the room to where my overnight bag sat, withdrawing a long white box from inside. I returned to the bed and held the box out to Bella.

"Is this for me?"

"It's for both of us," I explained. She looked down at the ribbon that held the lid on the box, and then back up at me again.

"Do you want me to open it?" she asked. I nodded. She tugged at the edge of the ribbon and it slid off easily. Once the lid was removed, Bella stared in confusion at the contents. "Keys?"

"Yes, those are keys. One set is for you and one set is for me."

"We both have keys to the apartment. The keys to my old place are on the rack at home. So, what are these keys for exactly?"

I took a deep breath, hoping this was a surprise she'd enjoy as opposed to one she'd resent. "Those are keys to our new house in the Hamptons."

Her eyes grew wide. "We have our own place in the Hamptons?"

"As of two weeks ago we have a timeshare there." I placed my hand on top of her free one and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "I know the events that followed our trip out there weren't so great, but the time we spent there was. We made a lot of memories, and I wanted us to have a chance to go back and do it again whenever we wanted – and in a place we could call our own that didn't have any of the negativity tied to it."

"Can we afford something like that right now?"

I smiled. "I spend my days with numbers, sweetheart. I wouldn't make an investment that we couldn't afford."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "This is all a bit surreal to me. Surreal and foreign, actually."

"What is?"

"The 'we' concept." She curled her fingers into quotation marks. "Making decisions as a couple, sharing things as a couple, living together … all of it. Please don't get me wrong, I love it, I really do, I'm just not quite used to it yet."

"Neither am I," I admitted.

"An outsider would never know that. You're a pro at this."

"I'll take that as a compliment considering we've lived together for less than two months."

"Just imagine how awesome we'll be at this in a year!" Bella dropped the keys back in the box and pushed it to the opposite side of the bed. She scooted forward, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her lips softly against mine.

"I'll never get tired of kissing you," I mumbled, turning the cheesiness up another notch.

"Thank you, Edward."

"For what?"

"Everything." She looked up at me with love-filled eyes. "The kiss in the back of your car last fall. New Year's Eve, the book tour, the Hampton's house, and this whirlwind romance. Thank you for all of it, Edward."

I rested my forehead against hers. "It's all been my pleasure, however, I'm the one who should be thanking _you_."

"What do you have to thank me for?"

"Humbling me," I answered, brushing my fingertips over her hair. "For taking a chance on me despite what you'd heard and witnessed. For believing I could change when nobody else – not even I – believed it possible. For still being with me, even after all the crazy shit that happened this spring. And for loving me."

"That's quite the list," she teased, giving me a wink.

"It could be my next book, really," I joked. When her eyes met mine again I let the smile fall from my face. "All joking aside, I really am thankful for everything I just mentioned."

"All joking aside, I really am happy I could be a part of it." Bella ran her fingers through my hair and smiled. "Now, I think that was enough seriousness to last for the rest of our trip."

"I agree."

"Sooo…" her voice trailed off and a wicked glint shone behind her eyes. "What do we do now?"

"How about showing me those stockings?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.

Bella simply laughed and pressed her lips to mine once more.

4,000 miles stood between New York and me, but that didn't matter.

I was with Bella.

And that meant I was at home.

* * *

**Jasper's POV**

The closer we got to Bois de Boulogne the more anxious I became. A thin layer of sweat coated my palms and my heartbeat refused to slow. _I should have done this right when we got to Paris. Not the night before we're scheduled to leave._

"Are you okay?" Alice squeezed my hand and brought my attention back to her.

"I'm fine," I said with a smile. "I'm just thinking about going back to New York tomorrow."

"Ten days went by much too fast," she said with a forlorn glance out her window. I nodded my agreement and allowed my mind to wander right back to the worried state it had been in since we left for our date earlier in the evening.

_Ring? Check._

_Hard copy of the proposal speech just in case I forget everything at the last minute? Check._

_Champagne toast at the hotel prepared? Check._

I ran through the mental checklist of everything I needed three more times before the driver brought the car to a stop at our destination. My behavior up until this point, though far from impressive, was exactly what I would expect from a man about to ask the women he loves one of the most important questions of his life.

"I'll never get over how beautiful this city is," Alice breathed, reaching for the door handle. I quickly leaned over and stopped her.

"Don't get out yet!" I shouted. She glanced at me like I was crazy and pulled her hand back.

"Are we waiting for someone?"

"No, I just, uh, I need to make a quick call. Privately." I jumped out of the car and shut the door behind me before she could ask any more questions. Once I dialed Edward's number, it felt like forever before he answered. In reality it was only after three rings.

"Did you do it?"

"We just got here and I'm freaking the fuck out!"

"It's going to be fine, man. You've been preparing for this for weeks."

"Did you and Bella get everything back at the hotel set up?" I glanced over and saw Alice peering out the car's back window, confusion blanketing her features. I gave her an awkward smile and a small wave before turning away.

"It's all taken care of, just like we discussed."

I closed my eyes and tipped my head back, pinching the bridge of my nose and blowing out a nervous breath. "I don't know if I can do this."

The next sound I heard was Bella's voice. "Jasper?"

"Yes?"

"I'm only going to say this once and then I'm hanging this phone up." I opened my mouth to protest, but she continued. "I've known Alice for years, and I've never seen her fall as hard for someone as she's fallen for you. She loves you, wholeheartedly. Be as nervous as you'd like, but you really have nothing to worry about."

I kept the disconnected phone pressed against my ear for several seconds before finally slipping it in my pocket and taking a deep breath. I opened my eyes, squared my shoulders, and walked to the other side of the car. My stomach continued to churn with nervousness as I opened Alice's door.

"You look like you're going to be sick," she said, taking my hand and stepping onto the curb. I smiled and closed the car door behind her.

"I'm fine," I assured her. Red and orange hues colored the bottom half of the sky as the sun began her descent below the horizon. I entwined my fingers with Alice's and led her toward the entrance of the rose garden.

"Nights like this don't exist in New York," she commented, taking in the beauty of the sunset.

"Sure they do. You just have to travel to the outer edges of the boroughs," I joked.

She nudged my ribs gently with her elbow and laughed. "Or be blessed with a penthouse at the top of a tall tower."

"True." I took a deep breath and led her down a path to our right. The walkway was lined with bushes of roses, each a different color. "Penthouses and an abundance of material possessions do not a blessed man make, even in a place like Manhattan."

"Is that so? Tell me, oh wise one, what makes a Manhattan man blessed then?"

"Finding an incredible woman to walk beside him." I reached down and pulled a burgundy colored rose from one of the bushes, handing it to Alice. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

A smile danced on her lips as she brought the flower to her nose and inhaled its sweet smell. "Yes, but I would never object to being told once more."

"For as many times as I've said the words, I'm still not certain there's an adequate way to express just how much I mean them." We continued our slow walk and my mind drifted off to the speech that I had spent weeks trying to perfect. "Have I ever told you all of the things that I love about you?"

"Who are you and what have you done with Jasper?" Alice came to a stop and turned to face me. "Did the Paris romance bug bite you this morning?"

I shook my head. "Actually it was the Alice bug that bit me, and it happened last fall." I tried to keep a straight face, but even I couldn't help but laugh at how corny I sounded.

"Wow." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You did not just go there."

"On the contrary, I did just go there. And if you don't mind, I'd like to keep going." I took one last deep breath and ran with it. "Before I met you, Alice, I wasn't living; I was simply existing. I was a shell of a man who occasionally attempted to date, but never managed to get past the initial stages of awkwardness before finding one reason or another to end things and move along. I couldn't see it at the time, but now that I look back, I think each of those ending moments were meant to happen, because they led me to one person I never want things to end with – you."

"Jasper-" Alice began. I pressed my finger to her lips so I could continue.

"Any man – or woman for that matter – would be lucky to say he or she knows you. But I see myself as the luckiest of all, because not only do I know you, but I also know all of the little things that make you the amazing woman you are. Like the way your eyes start to sparkle when you're about to launch into a story about something that excites you. Or the way your lower lip twitches ever so slightly when you're nervous. Or how you spent all of one Saturday morning creating the perfectly mixed cup of coffee and cream, only to put it in a to-go cup and take it to Lowe's so you could make sure they mixed the paint for your kitchen in the exact shade of mocha you wanted it.

"You're amazing, Alice. You're beautiful, intelligent, witty, and funny, and all of the small things about you – the oddities and quirks, the endearing characteristics – come together to create a woman who couldn't be more wonderful if she tried." She clutched the rose tightly with one hand while tears brimmed her eyes. I smiled and shook my head as the last of my apprehension melted away.

"Never in a million years did I think I'd be standing here, in the middle of a gorgeous rose garden in the most romantic city in the world, with the woman who caught my eye at the Guggenheim. But, here I am, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with in this moment. In fact, I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with for any of the moments of the rest of my forever." I let go of Alice's hand and dropped to one knee. The tears began to pour down her cheeks as I pulled the black velvet box from my pocket. "You, Alice Erickson, are the love of my life. You're the page to my words, the eggs to my bacon, and the answer to my forever. Will you do me the unimaginable honor of becoming my wife?" I flipped the box open, displaying the rose gold ring it held.

Alice dropped to her own knees in front of me. Her tears were falling freely now but a smile lit up her face. "I want nothing more than to become your wife, Jasper Whitlock." I pulled the ring from the box and slid it onto her trembling finger. A small sob escaped her lips as she cupped my face between her hands and pressed her mouth against mine. I wound my arms around her shoulders and pulled her to me, both of us laughing as we fell to the ground in a happy, tearful heap.

Up until that moment, I thought I'd found ultimate happiness.

The truth was, I'd never been happier in my entire life.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

Time flew by as it always did when I was enjoying myself, and before I knew it we were back in the city in the day-to-day grind.

"Victoria will be here in ten minutes!" I looked up and saw Alice in the doorway of my office.

"Is the conference room ready?" I asked, gathering up the pile of documents I'd spent the morning going over.

"I put out bagels, along with coffee, juice, and water. It's probably a bit much, but I want this to be a morning we can all remember for a while."

I nodded and smiled. "I do too." As soon as I was alone I allowed my mind to wander off, focusing on my evening plans instead of the nervousness I felt.

"Are you coming?" Alice reappeared in my doorway, tearing me away from my trance. I slipped the stack of papers into my pad folio and followed my friend down the hall to where our meeting would take place.

"Your dad's attorney read through all of this, right?" I already knew the answer, but it seemed logical to ask the question one more time.

Alice nodded. "Everything is legit. Did you sign anything yet?"

I shook my head. "It seemed like something we should do together."

"I agree." We were about to sit down when our receptionist tapped on the door.

"Ms. White is here to see you."

"Send her in," I instructed. I straightened the bottom of my pencil skirt and glanced at Alice one last time.

"Alice! Bella! It's so great to see you both!" Victoria breezed into the room, greeting us each with a peck on the cheek. She looked stunning in a flowing white sundress and a large Kentucky Derby style hat.

"It's great to see you too, Victoria," Alice said, taking a seat at the head of the large rectangular table.

"I can't tell you how happy I am that we're having this meeting!" Victoria exclaimed. Her enthusiasm alone was enough to melt away any of the last lingering worries I had regarding what we were about to do.

"We're both happy as well," I said, opening my pad folio and spreading the pile of documents out in front of me.

"I assume you've gone over the terms of the contract?"

"We have," Alice answered.

"Do you have any questions you would like to ask me?"

I shook my head. "We reviewed everything together and had an attorney look things over."

"Do you have any questions for us?" Alice asked.

Victoria spent a minute thinking before she answered. "I do have one, actually. It's no secret that your family is well off, Alice. Why haven't they offered to help with any part of your business ventures?"

"They have offered, actually," Alice explained. "We just never took them up on it. I've always prided myself on achieving success without having to dip into the Erickson pool of funds. So many people assume that I live off of my family's fortune, when in reality everything I have in life I've earned myself."

"That, my dear friend, is even more reason for people to respect you." Victoria smiled and withdrew a pen from the briefcase style tote she carried. "And reason for me to feel even more confident about financing your event planning venture." She signed the appropriate pages on the master copy of our contract and passed the document to Alice. After we all had our turn, I called on our receptionist to make copies of the signed agreement.

"I have the check for you," Victoria explained, withdrawing an envelope from her bag and sliding it across the table. "We should schedule the first few monthly meetings that were outlined in the contract."

I thought more about what we were doing as I pulled out my planner. When Victoria originally suggested we branch out into event planning, it just didn't seem like a viable option. Time and money were the biggest obstacles, with the later presenting more of a problem, but on top of that, neither Alice nor I felt like we had adequate experience in the field. Edward's book release was a success, as was the White party, but both locations had event managers who shouldered a lot of the work. We'd never planned any single event entirely on our own, and who knew if we even could.

Between the White party and present day we'd done a lot of thinking and talking to others, both in and outside the industry. After much consideration, we agreed to proceed with the expansion. Alice would continue to manage the PR firm, while I would take leadership of the event-planning segment. Victoria's investment was large enough that I could hire a second staff to help me when things got off the ground, with the hope of expanding even more once we developed a list of clients. Esme was already talking us up to several hard hitters in the travel industry, and had put us in touch with some people from her network that had the potential to become valuable resources down the line. There was risk involved – a lot of it – but Alice and I both agreed that nothing in life came free or easy, and more often than not the biggest rewards had a high amount of risk attached.

"Would you like a bagel or some coffee?" I glanced up as Alice pointed toward her small spread. Victoria simply smiled and shook her head.

"No, but thank you for offering. I have a lunch date after we're done here." She glanced down at her phone screen. "So, July 18, August 9, and September 20 are all on the books, correct?"

I nodded. "Does ten o'clock in the morning at our office work for each one?"

"Absolutely." Victoria keyed the information into her calendar before tucking the phone away. "Please remember, if you have questions about anything, including getting this new venture off the ground, I'm always available to help."

"That's it?" I asked. "This seems so … informal, for lack of a better word."

Victoria waited for our receptionist to drop off the contracts before speaking. "We took care of the bulk of things at our last meeting. As long as you have no questions, I don't see any need to make this more complicated than necessary. Lawyers on both ends have reviewed everything, you have a solid business plan to run off of, and I know your CPA. If you were strangers, or novices, this would only be a jumping off point. I guess it still is a jumping off point, but you're accomplished businesswomen and you've proven your abilities on more than one occasion. Formalities really aren't needed at this point, at least not for me."

"Well, then I guess this is settled." Alice smiled brightly and stood up. "Thank you for everything these past few months, Victoria. I promise you won't be disappointed with this."

Victoria stood and collected her things. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't agree to try this. But you did agree to, and I know you'll do fantastic." She circled the room once more, giving us each another peck on the cheek. "I'll see you in a month, ladies."

"See you in a month," I called, waving after her as she breezed out of our office.

Alice looked at me. I looked at her. And, just like a pair of young girls, we let out simultaneous squeals of delight.

**-=- HC -=-**

"How was the meeting?" Edward was leaning against the side of the Lincoln, a small bouquet of roses in one hand and a bright smile on his face.

"Fantastic," I said, standing on my toes and pressing my lips against his. He handed me the flowers and opened the car door. "What are these for?" I asked once he was seated next to me.

"It's my way of saying congratulations." He slid an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. "Were you nervous?"

"As hell," I laughed. "But it melted away pretty quick. Victoria is a good person and all of this just feels right."

"You're amazing at everything you do. This will be no different."

"I hope so." I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed. Moments later, the car came to a stop. I looked down at the roses, unsure of what to do with them.

Edward took the bouquet and laid it on the seat next to him, as if reading my mind. "They should be okay in here while we eat."

I smiled softly and slid out of the car. It had been a few weeks since we returned from Paris, and we had yet to get the whole group together. So, when Jasper called everyone earlier in the week to set something up, we all jumped at the chance.

"Bell!" Mike leaped out of his chair and raced around the table, picking me up and spinning me around in a giant hug.

"Holy hell, Newton! When did you grow guns?" I joked, squeezing his biceps when I was back on the ground.

"Don't let that display fool you, honey," Laurent scoffed. "That's all adrenaline rush and no muscle in there."

"Adrenaline rush, huh?" I dropped down into the chair Edward had pulled out for me and hung my purse on the back of it. "Why so excited, Mikey?"

"Can't I be excited to see you, Swan?" Mike rolled his eyes and took a sip of his martini.

"You just saw me last week," I pointed out.

"For fucks sakes, woman, take a compliment and go with it!"

Edward took a seat beside me and frowned. "Where is everyone?"

"Rose's doctor appointment ran late, but she and Emmett are on their way. I haven't heard anything from Alice," Mike explained.

"That's because I'm here!" My best friend slid into the chair on my other side and winked. I couldn't help but feel giddy when I caught sight of the expression on her face. Her post-engagement glow was still going strong, and her eyes continued to dance in a way I'd never before witnessed.

"Just the woman I wanted to see!" Laurent leaned forward on his elbows and flashed Alice a grin. "Did you set a date yet?"

"We'll discuss that when everyone is here." Jasper wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

"You're evil," Mike pouted.

"What did Short Stop do now?" Rose and Emmett appeared out of nowhere.

"She's withholding pertinent information," Mike whined.

I looked over at Laurent and narrowed my eyes. "What inspired you to let him leave the house today?"

"This," Laurent waved his hands in the air, gesturing toward Mike, "isn't my responsibility, sweetie. I'm his boyfriend, not his babysitter."

I giggled and buried my nose in the menu. Fifteen minutes later we had successfully placed our food and drink orders, and were ready to get down to the business of socializing.

"Alright, everyone is here, so _please_ answer my question." Laurent fixed Alice with his puppy dog eyes, causing the rest of us to laugh.

Alice looked over at Jasper and then around the table. "How do you all feel about a summer wedding?"

Rose's eyes grew wide. "Summer as in sometime in the next three months?"

"Yes, Rose, because shotgun weddings are all the rage in the Erickson family." Alice rolled her eyes. " _Next_ summer. June 22 to be more specific."

Mike looked like he was about to bounce out of his chair. "Ohh, I love summer weddings! You can do so much with the colors! And the dresses! Are you going strapless? Please say you're going strapless-"

"Stop!" Alice held one hand up and closed her eyes. I could almost hear her mentally counting to five before taking a deep breath and opening them again. "We just set the date. I'm not even going to start thinking about any other details for at least a month."

"Well, if you need any help in the way of bridal couture, you always know where to find me," Rose said with a wink.

"Of course! Who else do you think I'd have design my dresses?"

"Chanel?" Mike teased.

Rose glared across the table, but there was humor behind her features. "If I wasn't seven months pregnant I'd slap you silly."

"Oh, you could still slap him silly. It might do him some good." Laurent ducked to avoid Mike's attempted swat to the head. "Now, which of you strapping gentlemen will be the next to propose?" He looked back and forth between Edward and Emmett expectantly. It took all of a minute for them to both burst out laughing.

"Dude, we _just_ moved in with each other," Edward told him.

"And we aren't even living together," Emmett pointed out.

Mike arched an eyebrow. "So? You already spread your baby batter all around Smith-town. Putting a ring on it is the next step."

"Baby batter?" Edward scrunched his nose up in disgust. "Are we thirteen again?" I couldn't help but laugh at his expression, and soon the entire table followed suit.

"Ok, ok, enough talk about baby batter and wedding bells!" Rose looked expectantly at Alice and me. "I want to hear about this secret meeting you had today."

Edward leaned over and lowered his voice to a whisper. "You didn't tell anyone else?"

"Nope."

"What super secret meeting?" Rose's question caught everyone's attention, including Emmett, who up until then had remained fairly quiet.

"Bella and I have some exciting news to share." The noise at the table died down and all eyes turned to us.

"We met with Victoria White today," I began.

"And?" Mike hedged.

"She's financing our business expansion!" Alice exclaimed.

"Business expansion? Since when did you decide to expand?" Rose was visibly shocked.

"We've been discussing it since before Paris," Alice explained. "We made the decision to do it when we got back."

"What kind of expansion are you doing?" Laurent inquired.

"Bella is going to head up a new event planning segment." Alice beamed proudly at me. I felt my cheeks redden with embarrassment.

"Bell! That's so amazing!" Mike was out of his chair and around the table again, wrapping his arms around my and Alice's shoulders in a big hug.

"Thanks," I said. "We signed the papers and got the check today. So, next week I officially start the daunting task of trying to set this operation up – in addition to playing publicist for some good-looking New York author."

Edward grinned. "What a lucky guy. Do I need to find him and kick his ass?"

"Perhaps. You could probably take him. He's a bit of a softie," I teased. Edward elbowed me in the ribs playfully.

The conversation continued until our food came. Emmett talked about his newest theater production, getting some "oohs" and "ahhs" from Mike when he said Orlando Bloom was the male lead. Edward gave everyone a few details about the book he had just started working on and Rose launched into an animated description of a line of evening gowns she was designing. As I looked around the table at my group of friends, I couldn't help but smile.

Emmett rubbed his hand on Rose's belly lovingly and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek.

Laurent whispered something in Mike's ear, causing him to turn read and mouth, "Not until we're home!"

Jasper held Alice's hand and stroked his thumb gently over her ring. And Edward rested his hand on my knee, giving it a light squeeze and making my blood rush straight to my cheeks.

Since the beginning of the new year, it seemed like every piece of the puzzle known as life had began silently falling into place. Edward and I had defined our relationship, survived a series of large hurdles, and come out stronger than ever. My friendships were constantly evolving, but it seemed like we'd all reached a place we'd never been before; paired off, happy in our relationships, and comfortable with what the future looked like. For the first time in my life, Charlie actually liked a man I was dating, and now Alice and I were about to embark on a new business journey.

We were all entering uncharted territories together. Motherhood, marriage, and co-habitation hung over our heads, threatening to make or break us if we didn't play our cards correctly. That didn't seem to matter, however, because we had one another to pick us up and brush us off if we fell. I wasn't foolish enough to believe that things would always seem so perfect. Life was a challenge regardless of how a person chose to live it. There would no doubt be hurdles along the way, but I knew we would all move forward together, taking the difficult parts in stride.

I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends.

I couldn't have asked for a better life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Vous êtes un trou du cul! = You're an asshole.  
> Bienvenue à l'aéroport international Charles de Gaulle = Welcome to the Charles de Gaulle International Airport.
> 
> I used Google translate because I had no luck finding a French speaker to assist with translations. So, if these aren't correct, I apologize. I can speak Spanish fairly well, but French is out of my ballpark.
> 
> As most know, this is the final regular chapter of the story. There are two epilogues coming and then it's a wrap.
> 
> Thank you once more for being patient and continuing to read. I've been asked via PM, Facebook, and Twitter if I'm going to finish this story, and the answer is yes. I love these characters too much to leave this hanging. And I would never do that to readers either.
> 
> Until we meet again...
> 
> xo


	33. Epilogue 1: Two Weddings and a Gay Guy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all. :)
> 
> Chapter Song: Marry Me by Train
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Recognizable songs, places, or faces belong to their respective owners. Everything else is mine.

_June 2013 – One year later_

**Bella's POV**

I wasn't shocked when Alice put Mike in charge of planning her bachelorette party. In fact, I was a bit relieved. Rose and I already had overflowing lists of wedding responsibilities, so handing the reigns over to our favorite gay boyfriend didn't bother either of us.

"Swan! Did you get the stuff for the t-shirt?" Mike, Rose, and I sat in the middle of my and Edward's living room with a collection of random party favors spread out around us.

"The shirt is done!" I stood and jogged to the bathroom, returning with the garment in hand.

"Ahh!" Mike clapped excitedly. "It's perfect!" I smiled proudly and admired my work of art. I'd taken a simple hot pink t-shirt and jazzed it up, painting "Suck for a Buck" across the front in big, black block letters and affixing almost fifty suckers to it with safety pins.

Rosalie looked on in confusion. "Tell me again how this works."

"Guys pay her a dollar and they get to pull a sucker off with their teeth," I explained.

"Or girls," Mike added, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Who is bringing her to the W?" I asked, folding the shirt up carefully and laying it on top of my bag. Mike had reserved two suites at the hotel, where we would open gifts and have a few pre-party cocktails. Dinner and a trip to two of his favorite gay bars would follow. Anyone who didn't know Alice would assume Mike's motives were selfish. On the contrary, we all knew our friend would love it.

"Bianca has Alice. Victoria, Jane, and Nettie are meeting us at the hotel. Cars are arranged, restaurant reservations were made, and I got us bottle service at Flame and Rain. If all goes as planned this night will be perfect!"

I smiled. Mike had started working for us a little over six months earlier. While Alice continued to head up our public relations activities, I was in charge of the event-planning segment of the business, and that was where Newton had landed. To my surprise – and that of our friends – Mike was great at networking with vendors throughout the city _and_ at planning actual events. He had good taste, paid attention to every detail, and had a knack for creating a trendy yet classy atmosphere. With his help, we'd managed to get off the ground and began developing a list of clientele.

Mike and I had both taken vacation time for Alice's wedding. We had a busy week ahead of us, so I planned on letting loose and enjoying myself as much as possible that night.

"You're vibrating." Mike pointed to the coffee table, where Rose's iPhone was skittering along the wood surface. She grabbed it and slid her thumb across the screen.

"Hey, baby. Are you downstairs?" Mike and I exchanged a look, halting our conversation so we could eavesdrop on Rose's. A minute later she hung up the phone and stood. "Emmett is here for David. I'll be right back." I couldn't help but smile as I watched her cross the room and collect her son, where he lay sleeping in his car seat.

David Joseph Hale was born on September 10, 2012, after nearly twenty hours of labor. Alice, Mike and I camped out anxiously in the maternity ward lobby while Emmett got to observe his son's birth. He continued to refer to the experience as "simultaneously the most disturbing and amazing thing" he'd ever witnessed. Motherhood came naturally for Rose, much to everyone's surprise. She and Emmett moved in with each other shortly before David arrived, and together they created a parenting routine that worked well for both of them.

Emmett proposed to Rose when David was six months old. She said yes, as we all expected, and had just recently started planning her own nuptials. Unlike Alice, Rose opted for a spring wedding, and she and Emmett were scheduled to tie the knot in April of the following year.

Mike looked at his watch eagerly. "The car should be here for us by the time she gets back." I made sure I had all the necessary items in my overnight bag and started gathering up our goodies. We somehow managed to get everything downstairs in one trip and headed off to the evening's festivities.

Three hours and several cocktails later, the suites at the W were set up and the lady of the hour had arrived.

"Nipple clamps? Really, Rose?" Alice peeled the plastic packaging off the gift and dangled the object in the air.

"The bridal shower was for vanilla gifts, sweetheart. This is the place to have fun," Rose said. I took a large sip of my drink to keep from laughing. The more gifts Alice opened, the more sexual in nature they became. I still had no idea what Mike's bag contained, but the fact that he insisted on it being the last one opened was enough to worry me.

"I'm sure my baby sister doesn't want to see this." Alice looked helplessly at Bianca, who tipped her head back and laughed.

"I'm twenty-three, Ali, not fifteen." Bianca rolled her eyes. "For all you know I have a pair of those at home in my nightstand."

"That's right, Short Stop," Rose chuckled. "This Virgin Mary act of yours won't work with us. We know you too well to pull that wool over our eyes."

"Mmm hmm." Mike clicked his tongue and drained the rest of his cocktail. "You may look innocent, but there's a vixen in there and we're all here to help unleash her!"

A blush crept across Alice's cheeks. "I think I need another drink."

"One sip and go naked coming right up!" Jane grabbed the plastic cup from Alice's hand and skipped across the room. The bride-to-be opened an envelope, which contained a $100 gift certificate to a spa in Chelsea. She had just accepted the full cocktail when Mike placed his gift on the table in front of her.

"Oh, God," Alice groaned. "Do I even want to open this?"

"Oh, trust me, you do," Mike said with a wink. We all watched in anticipation as Alice pulled several wads of tissue paper from the bag. Her eyes grew wide as she withdrew the first item – a cock ring with a metal leash attached. She dangled it in the air with one hand and used her free hand to fish out the next item – a pair of leather pants.

"Ali, you never told us Jasper liked leather!" Rose reached over and swatted Alice's thigh. If looks could kill, the one Rose received in return would have rendered her a dead woman.

"I'm fairly certain Jasper has _never_ worn this type of leather. At least not with me." Alice set the two items down on the floor next to her and reached into the bag again, this time withdrawing a pair of leather cuffs. The final item was a purple and black flogger.

I looked over the collection of gifts once more, trying to decipher the meaning behind them. When it finally dawned on me, I couldn't stop myself from letting out a loud laugh. "The bondage cage!"

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" Mike held his fist out and I bumped mine against it happily. "Since you were gracious enough to introduce me to my first quasi-BDSM experience, I thought I'd do the same for you and Jasper. Assuming neither of you has had a BDSM experience before, that is."

"You're forgetting one minor detail," Alice said. When nobody spoke up, she continued. "The experience you had with Caius was not BDSM. It was him acting out some weird fantasy."

"I know," Mike agreed. "And what you'll have with Jasper won't be BDSM either, Short Stop. But, it could be fun none-the-less." Mike arched his eyebrows and raised his glass. "Here's hoping you get a healthy dose of the Whitlock Weiner next weekend."

We managed to bring our glasses together for a toast before the group broke out laughing.

The evening had only begun and already I was certain of one thing: Mike's antics alone would surely make this a night we'd all remember.

**-=- HC -=-**

Sweat beaded my forehead as I moved to the fast-paced music. I glanced over my shoulder and allowed my eyes to travel up the torso of the half naked man dancing behind me. His tanned skin glistened under the club's bright lights, and I could see the shadow of a large tattoo on his bicep. He grabbed my waist roughly, pulling me to him and grinding his pelvis against me. I tilted my head back and laughed. I had lost most of my inhibitions somewhere between drinks three and four.

The heat of his breath fanned over my neck. "Is your friend single?"

I raised my voice so he could hear me. "You need to be a bit more specific."

"The one wearing the tiara." I followed his eyes across the room in time to see Alice sliding the flimsy plastic crown over Mike's golden locks.

I spun around and gave him an apologetic smile. "Unfortunately, no. He's just along for the bachelorette ride tonight."

"Damn." The sweaty stranger seemed disappointed, but it only lasted for a few seconds. Then he was off, dancing his way through the throng of bodies to the bar. I shimmied my way to the VIP area, ducking under the velvet rope that separated it from the dance floor. Rose was seated at the overly large velvet couch that occupied the space, pouring vodka into a lowball glass. I grabbed one for myself and followed suit, winching from the sting of the alcohol when it hit my throat.

"Mike is trashed," Rose said. I leaned forward and cupped my hand around my ear. "Mike is trashed," she repeated loudly. Sure enough, Newton was now not only wearing Alice's tiara, but he was also shirtless and rubbing a bright purple feather boa over his chest.

"That didn't take long," I shouted.

"Does it ever?" Rose laughed and clinked her glass against mine. I didn't bother trying to keep our conversation going. The pounding dance music made it too loud to hear anything.

"Why aren't you girls dancing?" Alice appeared out of nowhere, squeezing herself between Rose and I and wrapping her arms around both our shoulders. She was walking a fine line between pleasant tipsiness and all-out drunken stupor.

"I've spent half the night dancing," I yelled. "I think I burned all the calories I ate for dinner at this club alone!"

"Oh, boo hoo!" She rolled her eyes and tipped her head back to rest it on the couch. "This is my bachelorette party! It's our last night out as a trio of unmarried ladies! We need to whip it up!"

Rose cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Whip it up, huh?"

"You know what I me- OH MY GOD!" Alice screamed mid-sentence and bolted up off of the couch. "Do you hear what song it is? We HAVE to dance!" She reached down and grabbed my hand, pulling me up with her.

The sounds of a remixed version of Nelly's "Hot in Here" flooded through the club. I looked over at Rose and grinned as she set her drink down and followed Alice and I out on the dance floor.

Throughout our college years, Rose, Alice, and I were regulars at a campus bar called Moe's. Most of our time there was spent shooting pool or playing darts while our boyfriends shot the shit over pitchers of lukewarm tap beer. On Thursday nights the bar had a DJ come in, and from eight until close the place was transformed into a small dance club. Rose was especially drunk during one of the Thursday night dance parties, and went absolutely crazy when Nelly's latest single came on. We all three ended up in the middle of the dance floor, busting out ridiculous moves and making asses of ourselves. We didn't care how stupid we looked, because for those few minutes the only things that mattered were how alive we felt and the laughter that poured from us.

Dancing together to the song had quickly become a ritual. Any time we heard it craziness ensued, and it was no different at Alice's bachelorette party. The other dancers on our corner of the floor backed away, leaving the three of us in our own small, hip-hop infused bubble. We looked like an awkward gyrating conga line, with Rose shaking her ass shamelessly, Alice making spanking gestures behind her, and me pretending to take my clothes off. Our outlandish version of dancing continued through two additional songs before we finally slowed to catch our breath.

"Fresh air," Rose shouted. It was more of a statement than a question, and I followed her through the crowd and out the club's entrance.

"It's hot in thuuuuuuuuure," Alice slurred, doing her best impression of Nelly. I laughed and slung my arm around her shoulders before she tipped over.

Rose leaned against the side of the building and tilted her face in the direction of the night sky. "I can't believe you're getting married next weekend, Short Stop."

"I can," Alice said in a singsong voice. She held up her left hand, pointed to her ring and giggled. "See the evidence?"

"I don't need evidence, silly. I just can't believe we've finally reached this point. I mean, I can, but I can't, and … am I even making sense?"

"You're making perfect sense," I said, smiling softly. "If someone had approached me two years ago and told me I'd be standing here tonight, having this conversation with the two of you, I'd of laughed and brushed the words right off."

"Exactly." Rose wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. "Things are changing, ladies. For all of us."

Rose's words hung in the air between us, threatening to put a damper on the evening's festivities. Thankfully Alice was too drunk to follow us down the serious path we'd embarked on. "Promise me we'll never change," she said, flashing us a huge, cheesy grin.

"I don't make promises I can't keep, Short Stop. You know that," Rose chuckled.

"I know we'll change as people. You know, on an in-di-vid-u-al basis," Alice sounded out each syllable of the word and rolled her eyes dramatically. "But promise me what we have won't change. Weddings, babies, cross-country moves … those things won't change what we have. We'll always be Rosie, Short Stop, and Bell, right?"

I bit my lip to keep the tears that threatened to emerge at bay. I was all for sentimental moments, but this didn't seem like the time or place for one. Of course the sheer volume of alcohol Alice had consumed didn't help her with that distinction.

"We'll always be Rosie, Short Stop, and Bell," Rose said, offering up words when I couldn't find any. Alice simply smiled and grabbed at her elbow, pulling both of us in for an awkward, drunken hug.

"LADIES! What are you doing out here?" Mike bellowed, stumbling out of the club and onto the street. Alice let go of us, sprinted off and jumped on Mike, flinging her arms around his neck and locking her legs around his waist. He spun her in a circle twice before losing his balance and ending up in a heap on the sidewalk.

Rose and I doubled over laughing, clutching our stomachs and trying to catch our breath.

In that moment I realized that we would always be us. Sure, we'd continue evolving in our lives, but nothing – and no one – could take away whatever it was that made us _us_.

**-=-HC-=-**

"My skull might explode," Alice muttered, tipping her face forward and resting her forehead against the tabletop. Rose reached over and ran her fingers through our friend's short hair, smiling sympathetically.

"Can I get you gals some coffee?" Our waitress bore an expression similar to Rose's.

"That would be great," I said.

"I am never drinking again." This time Rose bit her lip to keep from laughing. The night before had turned into a long one, and we didn't return to The W until after three in the morning. Mike was still out cold when we left the hotel, and had we not promised one another a final pre-marriage Sunday brunch, I was positive Alice would be right there alongside him.

"Famous last words," I teased. My tone was just sarcastic enough to earn me a healthy dose of the Erickson stink eye.

"Please don't let me do this at the reception next weekend."

"You need not fear, honey. The last time I checked they didn't make a habit of serving Jägerbombs or jell-o shots at The Plaza." Rose ran her finger absentmindedly over her cell's screen.

"You could call him, you know." I jerked my chin in the direction of her phone and smiled. In all our years of friendship I'd never seen Rose let her guard completely down for a man. It was both refreshing and shocking to witness.

"You're right. I _could_ call him," she paused long enough for the waitress to fill our coffee cups, "but I told myself I wouldn't check in today. He's a great dad and I don't want to drive him crazy."

"You've been parents for nine months, sweetie. I'm sure he knows you don't question his abilities in the area. Go call him." Alice lifted her head and nodded in agreement.

Rose bit her lip before allowing a smile to blossom on her face. "I'll be right back." Alice and I watched as our friend stood and made her way to the restaurant entrance.

The waitress appeared once more. "I'll have the french toast with a side of sausage," I told her.

"Eggs Benedict with a side of bacon," Alice mumbled.

"And she'll have the fruit bowl with an English muffin and an orange juice," I said, pointing to Rose's empty chair. Once the waitress was gone, I turned to Alice. "Are you sure you want to eat?"

"The eggs might help." She took a sip of coffee, wincing at the liquid's temperature.

"What did I miss?" Rose slipped back into her chair, all smiles and a happy glow.

"Alice ordered something with hollandaise on it," I offered.

Rose arched a brow and balked. "Doesn't that violate the Erickson nutrition code?"

The bride-to-be waved her hand dismissively. "Nutrition, schmutrition,"

"Is there anything you need help with today?" Nights like the one we'd had tended to throw off the next day's activities, and I knew Alice still had a laundry list of things to get done in preparation for her nuptials.

"Aside from kicking this hangover, nope. I made sure to clear the calendar for this exact reason."

"Well, at least you planned ahead before you started drinking. I don't think we had it together enough to do that in our twenties," Rose joked. Our food arrived then, and we ate in silence.

Alice was the first to put down her fork. "When I get back from Jamaica, Sunday mornings are ours again."

"Sunday mornings have always been ours," I pointed out. Rose nodded.

"Not for the past few months," Alice said, sighing. "My Sundays have consisted of dress fittings, food tastings, and flower appointments. I can't remember the last time I actually got to sit down and enjoy brunch with both of you. And now I can't even enjoy it because my head is pounding and I feel like I need to upchuck."

"Honey, you've been busy planning a wedding. It's a once in a lifetime event. Well, unless you're Em's grandma. Then it's a thrice in a lifetime event," Rose chuckled. "I think dress fittings and food tastings and flower appointments take precedence over brunch in this case."

"I know, but marriage is just the beginning. Imagine what will happen when we all have kids someday! How will we ever find time to spend with each other when we're trying to balance careers, families, and marriages?"

I slid my arm around Alice's shoulders and pulled her to me. "Are you afraid you're going to lose us after the wedding?"

"Not exactly." Alice rested her head on my shoulder. "I just don't want to lose _this_." She gestured to the open space between all of us. "I don't want us to become those women who get so busy living their new and exciting lives that they forget to keep working on the ones they've already spent years creating. You know?"

"Sweetie, we will never be those women." Rose set her mug down and grabbed Alice's hand. "We'll make sure to see one another face-to-face at least once a week. It might not be on a Sunday morning and it might not be at Sarabeth's, but we'll make it happen. I can only speak for myself when I say I love you both like sisters. Friendships like ours don't just disappear when we pass various milestones in life; they get stronger because of it."

"She's right," I agreed. "And if you think about it, Rose had a monumental life change last year. She became a mom. She's responsible for another human life now. That's a _big_ deal. But we're still here, together, supporting one another and loving one another just as much, if not more than we were before David arrived."

Alice reached up and wiped a wayward tear from her cheek. "I love you both. And I must look like a complete fool for even worrying."

"You don't look like a fool at all." Rose squeezed Alice's hand and smiled. "I panicked about post-baby life, and then again when Emmett proposed. Truth be told, I'll probably be in the same shoes you're in now come next spring. Fear of the unknown is completely natural, hun."

Alice visibly relaxed and gave us a smile. "Thank you."

"That's what we're here for," I said, patting the top of her head and nudging her away so I could look her in the eye. "Now, if you don't mind my asking, where is the Alice who was filled with Jägermeister driven enthusiasm last night?"

The color drained from her face. "I think I'm going to be sick." Rose and I watched as Alice jumped out of her chair and made a mad dash for the restroom. We waited until she was out of sight before allowing ourselves to burst out laughing.

Memories of college nights out, our first times together in the city, and the last year floated through my mind. Life was changing. _We_ were changing. But, at the heart of it all, Rosie, Short Stop, and Bell were the three girls we would always be.

**-=- HC -=-**

"By the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jasper, you may kiss your bride." Jasper's smile stretched from ear-to-ear as he lifted Alice's veil. I felt tears prick at the back of my eyelids as I watched him trace his fingertips over her cheekbones before cupping her face between his hands and pressing his lips against hers. I dabbed my now-rumpled tissue beneath my eyes and sniffled softly.

"Family, friends, ladies and gentleman, it is with great pleasure that I now introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Whitlock." Jasper clasped Alice's hand in his as they turned to face the guests. The sounds of Handel's "Allegro Maestoso" filled the air and the newlyweds began their march up the aisle. The bridal party followed, saying our congratulations to the bride and groom before getting in the back of a Navigator limo, which would take us to The Plaza.

"You look beautiful," Edward whispered, slipping his arm around me and pulling me close to him. I smiled contentedly and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you. You look pretty dapper yourself."

"Dapper, huh?" he said, tipping his head to the side and smirking. "What generation are you from again?"

"Oh, be quiet and learn to take a compliment." I tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't stop myself from laughing. Edward shook his head and dipped down to give me a kiss.

"Jesus, do we need to get the two of you a room?" Rose nudged me with her elbow and arched one of her brows.

"I took care of that already," Edward offered, wiggling his own eyebrows mischievously. Laughter filled the air and for what must have been the zillionth time that week I said a silent thank you to whomever was responsible for bringing our group of friends together.

Ten minutes later, the limo came to a stop and we all filed out. Edward grabbed my hand in his and held it high in the air. I spun in a circle beneath his outstretched arm, giggling when the silky fabric of my dress swished against my legs.

"Okay, Casanova. I need to steal Bella for a while," Rose said, sashaying up to us and draping an arm over my shoulders. A large paper bag dangled from her free hand, the contents of which I knew without having to ask.

"Steal my girlfriend? Whatever will I do?" Edward flung one arm across his forehead dramatically while clutching his chest with the other.

"Scout out the bar with Emmett?" I offered.

His eyes lit up and a smile danced on his lips. "You don't have to tell me to do that twice." He spun around and clamped one hand down on Emmett's shoulder. "C'mon, Hale. There's a bottle of Glenfiddich with our name on it around here somewhere."

"How much time do we have before they get here?" I asked, following Rose to the elevator bank.

"That receiving line will take _at least_ an hour. We don't have to rush at all." We rode up in silence, exiting on the floor where Alice and Jasper's honeymoon suite was located. Rose dipped her fingers into her cleavage, producing a key card for the room. Once inside, she emptied the contents of the bag onto the bathroom vanity.

"Japanese drip candles? Really?"

"Hey, it never hurts to add some spice to the sweetness," Rose said with a wink. I simply shook my head, grabbing a baggie full of red rose petals and making my way to the bedroom area. I used the petals to spell out "Whitlock" in the center of the bed. I added a heart to each side and sprinkled the remaining petals across the pillows.

"Did you get champagne?" I joined Rose in the bathroom, where she was writing "Congratulations" on the mirror with deep red lipstick.

"It's in the mini-fridge, but we should probably set everything up on the nightstand." I took that as a hint and headed off in search of the ice machine. Rose and I worked diligently for the next half hour, putting out the champagne and two engraved flutes, a variety of massage oils, bubble bath, and the kinky candles. By the time we finished, the room had been transformed from a typical honeymoon suite into a lovers' sanctuary.

"We did good," I said, bumping my fist against Rose's. She nodded her agreement and we made our way back down to the hotel's Terrace Room. Guests milled around, munching on fancy hors d'oeuvres and sipping on cocktails. It didn't take long to find Edward and Emmett.

"That was faster than I expected," Edward remarked, snaking his arm around my waist and squeezing my hip gently.

"Well, we're nothing if not efficient," I joked. I grabbed his glass and took a sip of the drink, cringing at the taste of the scotch. "Do you have the room key? I need to fix my makeup before the man and woman of the hour arrive."

Mischief danced in Edward's eyes as he withdrew the card from his pocket. "You mean this room key?" I reached my hand out to grab it, but he pulled it back quickly and grinned. "I'm afraid only I can use this particular key."

I felt my skin warm as I blushed. "Is that so?" He nodded. "Well, I guess I won't be fixing myself up then."

"Oh, you'll need to do more than that when we're through." He deposited his empty glass on a passing waiter's tray and grabbed my hand. Desire began to tug at me as he led me across the lobby and to the elevators.

His hands were on me as soon as the doors closed behind us. "You're so sexy," he murmured, pushing me up against the wall and kissing me hard. I parted my lips, moaning as his tongue slipped between them and found mine. Gripping his hair tightly, I pulled him closer. It didn't matter where we were or how many times we kissed, I never got enough of him. I wanted to get lost inside of him and never find my way back.

The doors opened and he pulled me away from the wall, giving my ass a slap and guiding me to our room. His lips blazed a trail of hot kisses down my neck and over my collarbone as he fumbled with the keycard. "Give me that," I whispered impatiently. He did as I asked, and I reached behind me and slid the plastic into the lock effortlessly.

When we were both inside, I kicked the door closed and pressed my lips to his once more. I knew we didn't have much time, so I didn't waste any. I slid his zipper down hastily, pulling out his already-stiff cock and stroking it roughly. Edward tipped his head back and hissed, thrusting himself into my hand. He gripped my hips once more, spinning me around and bending me over the table that sat just inside the door.

He slid my dress up and over my hips and pushed my panties to one side. I shivered when his knuckles brushed over my hot skin. "Always so ready," he groaned, sliding one, then two fingers inside of me. I ground my hips against his hand greedily, mewing when he pressed his thumb down hard on my clit.

"Edward, please."

"Please what?" he asked, moving his thumb around my wet flesh in tight circles. I didn't have to see his face to know he wore a cocky smirk; I could hear it in his voice.

"Please fuck me. Now." He growled his approval, slipping his fingers out and entering me in one hard thrust. I slid forward until my chest was pressed flat against the tabletop. Edward stretched his body out over me, placing his hands on the table on either side of my head.

"Jesus, Bella. Your pussy is so tight right now." He dipped his head down and dragged his tongue from the nape of my neck to the top of the zipper on my dress. I gasped as he thrust hard into me, moving the table forward and lifting my feet off the ground. His knuckles were white as he gripped at the faux wood. I felt my orgasm building, each of his strokes adding another flame to the already burning fire. When Edward slid one hand between my legs and began to play with my clit, it tipped me over the edge.

"Oh, God. Oh, God, God, God," I chanted. My breath came out in ragged gasps and my legs went limp as an intense orgasm tore through me. Edward groaned and his movements became erratic.

"Fuck, Bella," he growled. He pounded into me several more times before collapsing on my back and coming in four long, hot spurts.

I tried to speak, but I couldn't think clearly, let alone formulate a sentence. I covered Edward's hand with mine and pulled it to my lips, pressing them gently against his sweaty skin.

"I could stay here all night," he whispered, kissing the back of my neck.

I smiled. "I think Alice would kill us both if we did that."

"It'd be worth it." He eased himself up and off me, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and using a stray t-shirt to clean up. I stood and made my way to the bathroom on wobbly legs. Several strands of hair had escaped my elaborate updo, and my face had a freshly fucked glow to it. I took a few deep breaths and reapplied my concealer and powder. Edward slipped into the bathroom, hip checking me and turning on the faucet.

"Rumor has it the bride and groom have arrived."

"Shit! They aren't trying to start the Grand March yet, are they?" The color drained from my face and panic set in.

"Not yet, but we should probably head down. I don't want to be the cause of a nuclear meltdown on the big day." He dried his hands, chucking the towel on the vanity and pinching the tip of my nose playfully.

Rose intercepted us downstairs, leading us to where the rest of the bridal had started lining up. What followed was a perfect evening, just as we all expected. Rose shed tears during her speech, Edward had the guests laughing while he recounted crazy college stories during his, and Mike somehow managed to sneak onto the dance floor just in time to catch the bouquet. Alice didn't get _too_ mad when Jasper smashed cake in her face and I somehow managed not to fall and break a leg during any of my dancing.

By the time the last guests left, we all found ourselves feeling extraordinarily full.

Full of booze.

Full of life.

Full of happiness.

And, most of all, full of love.

**-=-HC-=-**

_April 2014 – Ten Months Later…_

"This place is gorgeous," Alice breathed.

"It really is," I agreed. I was admittedly surprised when Rose and Emmett made the decision to get married at his parent's costal estate in Maine. Rose had a penchant for doing things extravagantly, and I assumed her wedding would be no different. When it came time to plan, however, my best friend had elected to have a small, elegant ceremony, consisting only of close friends and family. She even refused my and Alice's offer to throw a bachelorette party, opting for a quiet dinner with close friends at her favorite Manhattan restaurant instead.

Jocelyn and David Hale's property served as the perfect backdrop for two people to say, "I do." The large back yard peaked in a grassy knoll, which gave way to the Atlantic Ocean. A dozen or so workers had spent the morning transforming the space into a romantic haven. Two sets of folding white chairs sat on either side of an aisle, which was covered with red and white rose petals. An ivy-covered wrought iron arched trellis stood at the front of the aisle, and long strips of white satin roped off the chairs. A large white tent was erected at the other end of the yard, housing a dozen tables and a makeshift dance floor.

Edward joined us on the deck, bracing his hands against the railing and leaning over it just enough to survey the grounds. Ushers had started seating people, which was our cue to get downstairs. "Are you ladies ready?"

"Are _you_ ready?" I teased, pointing at his undone bowtie. He looked down and shook his head, fixing the problem with quick, nimble fingers.

"I am now." Edward held out his arm and I looped mine around it. The three of us made our way to the kitchen, where Rose was waiting.

"Is this too much?" she asked, gesturing to the floor in front of her. I looked down and felt tears brim my eyes. David sat in a decorated Radio Flyer wagon, wearing a miniature version of Emmett's tuxedo and smiling up at us. A small, purple velvet cushion sat between his outstretched legs and held two plastic versions of the rings that the bride and groom would exchange. The real jewelry was in Jasper's pocket, but Rose and Emmett had wanted to find a way to have David take part in the ceremony, and acting as the ring bearer seemed perfect.

"This isn't too much at all," I said, squatting in front of the wagon and ruffling David's hair. "Are you ready to cruise down the aisle?"

He looked up at me with big green eyes. "Appie!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly.

I looked over my shoulder at Rose, who laughed. "It's his new word," she explained. "He's trying to say 'happy,' but he doesn't quite have the sound of the 'h' down yet. It's all he's said for the past two days."

I turned back to David and smiled. "I'm happy for your mom and dad too."

Edward cleared his throat. "Jasper just sent a text and said the guests are seated." I stood and turned to face Rose. She was stunning, the vision of a woman deeply in love with the man waiting for her at the altar.

"You look beautiful, Rose," I whispered, blinking back a fresh set of tears. Alice pulled a tissue from the front of her dress and handed it to me.

"No crying until we all reach the altar," Rose joked. I dabbed at my tears and stuffed the tissue into my own dress. I knew I'd need it again later.

Edward made his way outside, leaving Alice and I alone with Rose. We gave her a final once over, making sure her hair was in place and her makeup didn't smudge.

The beginning chords of Train's song "Marry Me" began to play, and that was our cue. I gave Rose a kiss on the cheek and grabbed the wagon. She and Alice followed me through the house and out onto the patio. The scene before us was small and intimate, just what Rose had hoped for. The guests were seated, but most of them had turned in their chairs to watch our arrival. Emmett stood beneath the trellis with Jasper and Edward off to the side. I clutched the handle of the wagon tightly and took a deep breath before beginning my ascent up the aisle. A few people "awwed" as I passed by them with David in tow, and the photographer made sure to snap at least a dozen different pictures of him and I. When I reached the end of the aisle Emmett stepped forward, giving me a kiss on the cheek and scooping both his son and the pillow up. He gave David a hug and kiss on the forehead, which earned him an "Appie" before handing him to Edward. I wheeled the wagon off to the edge of the action and took my place across from where Edward stood. Once Alice was in place next to me the guests stood and watched as the bride made her way to the groom.

As the pastor began speaking about how he'd known Emmett's family since he was a boy and how Rose was perfect for him, I settled my eyes on my boyfriend. David kept grabbing for Edward's hair, and Edward kept bobbing his head to the side to avoid being mauled. David would giggle each time he missed, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, he decided to focus his attention on Edward's tuxedo lapels instead. It was then that Edward realized he wasn't going to win, and when our eyes met he rolled his and grinned.

My ovaries officially went into a tailspin after that moment.

Although Edward and I had been together – formally – for a little over two years, I hadn't spent a whole lot of time dreaming about the specifics of our future. Sure, I'd thought about what it would be like to marry him, and I even had a few ideas saved to a wedding board on my Pinterest account, but other than knowing I wanted to call him my husband someday, I didn't have much else mapped out.

I'd never been one of those women who were in a hurry to settle down and start a family. Having kids crossed my mind every now and again, but it wasn't a do or die thing for me, and the idea of being a mom was intimidating. Watching Edward interact with David made me wonder not only if we could pull it off someday, but also if we _would_ decide to go that route. It was a discussion we needed to have somewhere down the road.

I pulled my eyes away from Edward and David and focused my attention on the bride and groom. The pastor had just given Emmett permission to kiss his bride, and I watched as he lifted Rose's veil and dipped her back, laying a Hollywood-worthy kiss on her lips before picking her up and spinning her around in a hug. The guests stood and applauded as the couple turned to face them. Unlike Alice's wedding, Rose had elected not to have a receiving line. Instead, they would spend time during the reception greeting guests at the various tables.

Edward shifted David to his right arm and offered me the left. "Another one bites the dust," he whispered.

I side-eyed him and frowned. "What makes you think that comment is even remotely appropriate?"

He led me down the aisle in silence, handing David off to Emmett's mom. "I'm just teasing," he said, turning to face me. "You know I'm happy for our friends."

"You better be." I furrowed my brow and shook my finger reproachfully. I feigned disappointment for about thirty seconds and then chuckled. "You're just jealous, Cullen."

"Of what?"

"Your best friends getting hitched to some amazing women."

"Pssh, I'm not jealous at all." Edward must have taken in my expression, because he continued quickly. "Sure, they're hitched, but when it comes to landing an amazing woman, I think I take the cake."

I knew I was blushing, but I tried to feign nonchalance. "You're just saying that because you want to get laid tonight."

"I have a feeling I'm getting laid either way," he said with a smirk. Before I had a chance to retort he was off, heading in the direction I'd seen his father walk by in minutes earlier.

The reception was cozy and beautiful, just as Rose had envisioned it. This time it was Alice's turn to give a speech, and while we all expected theatrical waterworks, what we got was heartfelt and humorous, leaving the bridal party and guests smiling at the end. Jasper neglected to write his thoughts down prior to the ceremony, and ended up improvising his way through the toast. Mike once again nabbed the bouquet, and Emmett didn't dare get cake anywhere near Rose's face. I only fell down once while dancing, the result of a dress malfunction and not my own clumsiness.

Happiness sparkled in Rose's eyes. It wrapped itself around each word that fell from Emmett's lips and rolled off of the bodies that crowded the dance floor.

And love – or some version of it – was everywhere.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was sometime after the dollar dance when I managed to convince Bella to take a walk on the beach with me. I had tried to get her away from the crowd at various points during the reception, but between the toasts and the photos and the dancing, it was impossible. Now we were alone, wandering down the coastline while the waves crashed gently into the shore.

Bella squeezed my hand and rested her head on my shoulder. "It's so beautiful out here."

"It is," I agreed. Lights from neighboring houses twinkled along the coastline, and the moon's glow illuminated the water's surface.

"Do you have a destination in mind?" She let go of my hand and rubbed her palms up and down her bare arms. I stopped walking and slipped off my tuxedo jacket. She shrugged into it, sighing happily when I buttoned it around her.

"Not exactly." I wound my arm around her waist and we resumed our stroll. "I just wanted some alone time with you."

"You have alone time with me every day," she teased, a smile dancing on her lips.

"Not in a place like this."

"Touché, Cullen. Touché."

I smirked. "Is it a crime for me to want to enjoy a romantic moment with my girlfriend? I mean, with all these weddings, love is in the air, right?"

Bella bit her lip, but not before letting out a loud snort. "Who are you and what have you done with Edward?"

"Oh, he's here baby," I growled, spinning her around until her body was flush against mine. I nuzzled my face against her neck and bucked my hips.

"We are so not having sex on a cold, wet Maine beach," Bella laughed, trying to wrestle away from me.

"Of course not," I agreed, letting go of her and slipping my hands in my pockets. "That wouldn't be romantic at all. It would be cold and messy and…"

"Rose would kill us," Bella pointed out.

"Yes she would." Between Rosalie's original skepticism of our relationship and the fallout from the bet, I'd had more than enough of my share of the Smith cold shoulder. I didn't plan to experience it again if I could help it.

I grabbed Bella's hand in mine and tugged her forward, resuming our walk. Physically, I was on the beach with my girlfriend. Mentally, I was far, far away.

Alice and Jasper's wedding had gotten me thinking about the future, in particular, my future with Bella. I loved her. God, did I love her. I thought Jessica had taught me everything I knew about love, but in reality she just provided the first few stepping-stones. Bella opened my heart and breathed life into it. It had been nearly a year since Alice and Jasper said "I do," and for the first time in over a decade I felt like I was ready to ask a woman to spend the rest of her life with me.

I knew Bella felt the same. So, I took action. I found a beautiful, two-carat solitaire ring and had it sized just right. I snuck away to Forks under the guise of a business trip and had a long talk with Charlie, at the end of which I requested his blessing in asking for his daughter's hand in marriage. The trip was only a day in length, and the jet lag damn near killed me, but it was worth it, because Charlie not only gave me his blessing, but said he couldn't think of anyone who he'd rather see take care of his little girl. I tried to come up with some epic speech to precede popping the question, but in the end I decided it just had to happen organically. I knew that I'd ask when the time was right. And now…

"Dance with me," I whispered, turning abruptly and wrapping my arms around Bella's waist. Confusion clouded her features, but she slid her hands around my neck and clasped her fingers there anyway. We swayed in the moonlight, with the faint sounds of the wedding reception dancing on the wind around us. I took Bella's hands in mine and pulled her to me, kissing her forehead briefly before stepping back and using one arm to spin her around on the sand. When she faced me again I dropped to one knee, retrieving a small black box from my pocket.

Bella's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with both hands. I wet my lips and looked up at her. "I was looking for a way to make this perfect, but in the end the only thing that will make it perfect is if you say yes." Tears brimmed her eyes and she moved to kneel before me, but I put my hand up to stop her. "Bella Swan, will you marry me?" I opened the box and held it out to her, putting the ring – and my heart – on display.

I let her fall to her knees this time, tears flowing down her cheeks. She whispered, "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes," she said louder. I couldn't see my expression, but I imagine it was akin to that of a kid set loose on a shopping spree in the largest candy store imaginable. I pulled the ring from its velvet home and slipped it on her finger, admiring the way the moonlight reflected off of it.

"I love you," I said. I swiped my thumbs across her cheeks, wiping her tears away and cupping her face in my hands. She gripped my shoulders and pulled me to her, kissing me in a way she never had before. Our lips met, our tongues collided, and for the next few minutes it was like the world around us ceased to exist. I was well on my way to becoming permanently lost in the moment when she pulled away. Her skin was flushed and a smile lit her face.

"I love you too."

We'd exchanged the words a hundred times before, but that night it felt like they took on a whole new meaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more epilogue and this is complete.
> 
> Thanks for sticking by on this ride. It's been long and crazy at times, but I've loved every minute of it, and I hope you have too.
> 
> I'd like to rec two stories that I've had the privilege of pre-reading over the past few months. The first is Anything But Mine by WitchyVampireGirl. This one recently completed and it's fabulous. There's some summer love, romance, a touch of angst ... all of it in one nice package. The second is Alone in the Ashes by ThisIsReallyHappening. This one is a WIP and it's equally fabulous. There's love here too, but it's hard on the angst and has some gut-wrenching twists along the way. Read them both. You won't be disappointed. :)
> 
> No guarantees on when the final epilogue will be up, as I'm busy working on my original fiction projects while simultaneously working on fanfic, but I'm hoping to hit the complete button on this before the summer comes to an end.
> 
> xo


	34. Epilogue 2: The Edge of Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have arrived at the end of the road, ladies and gents. I won't say anymore here, but there is a novel in and of itself waiting at the end. ;)
> 
> Chapter Songs: Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan, I Love you Forever by Jewel, Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. All the hot commodities in this corner of the fanfic world belong to me.

**BPOV**

_January 1, 2015 – Nine months later_

"How's LA?" I stretched my legs out in front of me and cradled the phone between my shoulder and chin.

"Sunny. Warm. Boring without you." Edward's voice was thick with sleep. I looked at the clock on our nightstand and cringed. It was eleven-thirty in New York. That meant it was only eight-thirty on the West Coast.

"I didn't realize what time it was! I'm sorry if I woke you."

"S'okay," he yawned. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year," I repeated. I waited a few beats for him to wish me something else too, but the steady in and out of his breathing was the only sound I heard. "How did the signing go?"

"Good. Really good, actually." Sheets rustled in the background, and if I closed my eyes I could picture him sitting up and rubbing the sleep off of his face. "I could get used to this public speaking thing."

"I hope so. It's part of your job now," I joked.

"I miss you," he said. _Not enough to remember our anniversary apparently._ Though his words brought a small smile to my lips, there was still a part of me that wanted to say something snarky. Instead, I opted to take the subtle route and drop a hint.

"I wish you were home. It sucks being across the country from you on such a special day."

He laughed. "I'm sure you'll survive, sweetheart. We've got plenty of New Years ahead of us that we can celebrate."

 _So much for that method._ "I guess," I mumbled.

"Should I woo you with my version of Auld Lang Syne?" Edward began singing the song, off key and messing up the words. My irritation dissolved and I snorted out a laugh.

"I think you should stick to public speaking, Cullen. Tone and inflect you can handle. Pitch, not so much."

"Damn! I guess that means I'll have to scratch vocal performance off my list of things to do at our wedding." The mere mention of our wedding unleashed a flight of butterflies in my stomach. May was drawing closer by the day, and even though I'd been planning tirelessly for months, I sometimes felt stuck on square one.

"Our guests thank you in advance," I joked. Edward chuckled.

"What's on deck today? Brunch with the ladies?"

"No brunch, but I am meeting Rose and Mike for my dress fitting."

"Dress fittings already?"

"This is pretty normal actually. Alternations can take forever," I explained.

"She's the designer though. There must be some strings she can pull. You know, to expedite the process."

I shrugged, though I knew he couldn't see me. "I'm sure there are, but you know me. String pulling isn't necessary around here."

"I know. And your humble nature is one of the many reasons I'm in love with you." I started to let out a sarcastic remark, but he continued before I had the opportunity. "Shit, Carlisle is beeping through. I need to take his call."

"Of course. Tell him I said hi." I did nothing to hide the disappointment in my tone.

"I will. Still meeting me at LaGuardia tomorrow afternoon?"

"I'll be there," I told him. We said our goodbyes and I hung up, tossing the phone on the bed and slumping back on the pillows.

Edward was good with dates. He remembered everything, from the night we first met at the Guggenheim to my mom's birthday. He hadn't forgotten our anniversary last year, so I was a bit surprised that he did this time around. The fact that it coincided with a holiday made it even harder to believe.

My phone beeped and I grabbed it.

_**David won't go down for his nap. Can we meet at two instead? - R.** _

I punched in my response and dropped the phone once more. I looked around the room, finally setting my gaze on a pair of Nikes sitting in the corner.

Going for a run seemed like the perfect idea. Not only would it kill some time, but it would help keep my mind off of the things that threatened to bog it down.

I bolted out of bed and quickly changed into my athletic clothes.

Moping the failed recognition of our three-year anniversary would have to wait.

**-=-HC-=-**

"Bella! It's gorgeous!" Mike's eyes had welled with tears before I even removed my dress from the garment bag. Now, as I stood in the middle of Rose's studio modeling the soft white gown, a full-on waterworks display began.

"Get it together, Newton!" Rose swatted playfully at him, but I could see tears glistening in her own eyes as well.

"Do you see how beautiful she is?" Mike stepped forward and gestured for me to spin around. I held on to the upper part of my dress, which was too big, and did a full three sixty. He was smiling big when I faced him again.

"Can someone take a picture? My mom needs to see this."

Rose scrunched her nose. "You want a picture now? Don't you think it'll look better once the alterations are done?"

"Yes, but she's been dying to see what it looks like since I told her you were designing it. She'll appreciate the gesture." Rose shrugged and pulled out her phone, snapping photos from a few different angles. The tailor arrived then, and after taking a few minutes to discuss some things with Rose, she began working on my dress fitting.

"Are the bridesmaids dresses in yet?" Mike asked. I stood in the middle of the room, arms at my sides as the tailor measured my chest and waist.

"I should have them by the end of the week," Rose explained.

"And my tux?"

Rose patted his arm reassuringly. "Your tux will arrive with the dresses, don't worry."

"Good. I'd be offended if it didn't arrive with the other bridesmaids' couture." I resisted the urge to giggle out of fear that the tailor would stick me with a pin.

Last summer, I had taken Mike out for drinks and asked him to be a part of my bridal party. He was so excited by this that he nearly fell off of his barstool. Nobody had ever asked him to be a male bridesmaid, and he took the role very seriously. When it came time to order tuxedos, he insisted that his stand out. So, while Edward and his groomsmen were set to wear cream colored tuxedos with Tiffany Blue vests, Mike had ordered a Tiffany Blue tuxedo with a cream colored vest. Under ordinary circumstances, I'd frown on the combination. Mike could pull anything off, however, and I knew when all was said and done he'd probably end up looking better than I did on my special day.

"I assume you'll want to be a part of that fitting too?" I glanced over my shoulder at my friends, where they were busy eyeing things up with the tailor.

"Of course! Just because I have a penis doesn't mean I should have to miss out on the vagina-centric activities." The tailor's jaw dropped as she stared at Mike in shock. He simply gave her a wink and went on. "Besides, tuxedos need alterations at times. I mean, it's not an every day occurrence, but maybe mine will."

Rose rolled her eyes and placed a hand on the tailor's shoulder. "Please don't mind him, Mallory. He leaves his verbal filter at home most of the time."

One hour later, my fitting was complete and the dress was packed up and on its way to the tailor's shop. Mike had stepped outside to take a call from Laurent, so Rose was showing me some ideas she had for wedding accessories.

"Do you and Emmett celebrate your anniversary every year?" My question came out of nowhere. Rose closed the magazine in front of her and looked up at me.

"We haven't even had our first wedding anniversary," she pointed out.

"I know, I know. But before you got married, did you do anything to celebrate the anniversary of when you'd started dating?"

Rose thought for a minute before answering. "We went out to dinner, if that's what you mean. I think Em bought me flowers and maybe a piece of jewelry? We didn't make a huge spectacle of it, but we took the time to remember it."

"Ah, okay." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down, pretending to be fixated on a thread that had come loose from my sweater. Rose reached out, tucking one finger beneath my chin and lifting my head until our eyes met.

"Why are you asking me this?"

I bit my lip, hesitant to answer. It was the first day of a brand new year, and I didn't want to bring anyone down with my ridiculous problems. At the same time, Rose was my best friend, and I really just wanted five minutes to cry on someone's shoulder. "Edward forgot our anniversary."

"Sweetie, it's only four fifteen. I'm sure he'll call you in the next eight hours. Give the man until midnight at least."

"I already talked to him today," I pointed out.

"This morning?"

I nodded. "I called to wish him a happy New Year."

"And?"

"And he wished me one as well, but said nothing about our anniversary. I even dropped a hint in hopes of helping him along." I sighed and sat down on the edge of Rose's desk. "Last year he went all out. This year he's across the country and can't be bothered to remember it."

"I'm sure there's a reasonable expla-" Mike burst back into the studio, halting Rose's words.

"Laurent wants to meet us for an early dinner. Are you two in?" I stood up, nodding and grabbing my coat. Spending time with friends would keep my mind off of the whole anniversary thing.

Rose grabbed my elbow on the way out the door. "We're finishing this conversation later," she whisper-hissed.

We piled into the back of a waiting Lincoln. Rose called Emmett to tell him our plans, Mike was engrossed in some game on his iPhone, and I tried to think about some of the accessories Rose had shown me. By the time we arrived at the restaurant my mind was off Edward and back in wedding planning mode.

"Hello my favorite bride-to-be!" Laurent swept me up in a warm embrace and planted a light kiss on each of my cheeks. I smiled and gave him two air kisses in return.

"I'm the only bride-to-be that you know currently."

"That's not true! My cousin's boyfriend's sister's college roommate is planning her wedding too," he sassed back to me. I snorted out a laugh and rolled my eyes.

"Thank goodness I rank above someone with four degrees of separation from you."

"Oh honey, you rank higher than Mike sometimes, and there is _no_ separation there anymore." Laurent winked and grabbed Mike's hand in his. "I got us a place to sit." We wove our way through the crowded pub and settled into a large booth in the back.

"Alright ladies, it's time to share," Mike looked back and forth between Rose and I expectantly.

"Share what?" I asked, confused.

"Whatever it was you were talking about in the studio." Mike arched one eyebrow. "I know I interrupted something. You both looked far too serious to be discussing accessories."

Rose looked at me and I looked at her. There was no point in evading the subject. Mike wouldn't let up until one of us told him. "I was just expressing some frustrations I had over Edward forgetting our anniversary today."

"Is today your anniversary?" I nodded at Laurent. "Well, happy anniversary girl! What are you doing spending your day with us?"

"Edward is in LA," I explained. "He won't be home until tomorrow night, and when I called him this morning, he made no mention of our anniversary."

Laurent's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Ohhhh…"

"Did you tell him what day it was?" Mike asked. I shook my head.

"I dropped a hint, but that didn't seem to help. In fact, when I told him I was bummed about being on opposite sides of the country on such a special day, he told me we'd have 'plenty of New Years ahead of us' to celebrate."

" _Ohhhh_ …." Laurent flagged the waiter over. "I think we're going to need a round of martinis. Extra dirty, if you know what I mean."

"As I was trying to say before Mike so gracefully interrupted us earlier, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this." Rose turned so she was facing me in the booth. "Edward is in LA for a book signing and speaking engagement, right?" I nodded. "Embry probably has him on a tight schedule. There are usually one or two social obligations that come with a trip like that. You know how it goes, Bell. You spent five weeks jetting around the country with him on his first tour. Maybe he's so wrapped up in everything out there that it really just slipped his mind."

When she wanted, Rose could find the logic in any situation. I loved her for that.

"That seems like a plausible explanation to me," Mike agreed. "Edward's playboy days are long gone, my dear. If he was a bumblebee, then you'd be the flower that draws him in. I highly doubt it's a person causing him to forget."

"That thought never crossed my mind," I answered honestly. The bet had set us back some, but living together for two and a half years had brought us up to speed. Since we started cohabitating, Edward had never done anything to make me question his honesty – or love for me. "I was thinking more along the lines of did I do something to upset him?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know." I shook my head in an attempt to rid the thoughts from it. "Maybe I'm just overwhelmed? The holidays just passed, work is hectic, and the wedding date keeps drawing closer and closer. Maybe I need to take a deep breath and relax?"

Rose grabbed my hand with both of hers and gave it a squeeze. "That's probably not a bad idea."

"I bet Edward has something up his sleeve for tomorrow," Mike speculated. He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed. "A little afternoon delight, perhaps? Something to help with your loneliness and his jet lag…"

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" I stuck my tongue out at Mike and turned back to Rose. "New topic. Where did you find a tailor that was willing to come out on New Years Day?"

My friend popped a fry in her mouth and smiled. "I've known Mallory for ages and she owed me a favor."

Our conversation continued as we ate. Laurent had a dozen questions about the wedding and Mike had an equal amount of opinions he was more than willing to interject. One round of martinis turned into two, and as I sipped mine, it dawned on me:

The miles that separated Edward and I were just that - miles. He'd be back home with me soon enough. In the meantime, I was with good friends, having a wonderful conversation over delicious food and drinks.

I couldn't think of a better way to have spent the first day of the new year.

**-=-HC-=-**

Fat, heavy flakes of snow had started falling by the time we left the restaurant. I said goodbye to my friends and began the short walk back to our apartment.

Winter was, without a doubt, my favorite season in the city. There was something about the lights and lingering holiday décor that struck a chord in me. Every year around December I fell in love with Manhattan all over again.

I pulled my phone out when I reached our street. The screen lit up, but there were no new notifications. I thought about texting Edward, but decided not to. Rose was right; he had enough on his plate in LA. My post-holiday blues wouldn't do either of us any good.

I slipped my phone back into my purse and began searching for my keys. I was almost to the building's front door when I saw the Lincoln out of the corner of my eye. _There's no way…_

I turned around just as the back door of the car opened. Edward stepped out with his messenger bag slung over one shoulder and a bouquet of purple and white calla lilies in his hand.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he approached me.

"I wanted to surprise you." He grinned sheepishly and bent down to kiss me. "Happy Anniversary, baby," he whispered. His lips brushed against mine, soft like velvet and sweet like sugar. I slid my hands up his back, grabbing on to his shoulders and pulling him closer to me. His lips parted ever so slightly, and I slid my tongue between them.

"I thought you forgot," I said in a breathy voice. He used his free hand to pinch my nose.

"How could I forget? You're, like, you know, the best thing that ever happened to me." I swatted his chest playfully.

"I think you spent a little _too_ much time in California, Valley Girl."

"Probably." He looked down at me, his emerald eyes afire. "In all seriousness, you really are the best thing that ever happened to me. And forget our anniversary? That's all but impossible." His lips covered mine again, and for a brief moment I wondered if Heaven felt anything like kissing him did.

I melted against him as his words – and his lips - melted everything inside of me.

**-=-HC-=-**

_May 2015 – Four months later_

"What is this?" I stood in the door to my and Edward's hotel room, gawking at the sight before me. Rose, Alice, and Victoria were decked out in cocktail dresses, while Mike donned a pair of black skinny jeans and a navy colored button down. If I didn't know any better I'd think they were all going out.

"What does it look like?" When I didn't answer, Mike continued. "This," he made a sweeping gesture with his hand, "is your Dominican bachelorette party."

"My _what_?" I looked down at my yoga pants and tank top. Even if I wanted to go out, I was in no condition to do so.

"Relax, Swan." Mike pushed past me and made a beeline for the minibar. "The ladies have everything covered."

"We're just going to dinner," Alice whispered. "I told him we weren't allowed to make a spectacle, since we already had your formal party back in New York."

"But I'm not dressed-" Rose covered my mouth with her pointer finger and handed me the bag she was carrying.

"This is from one of the resort boutiques. It's simple, chic, and you don't need to accessorize." I took the bag reluctantly.

"I just had a massage, guys. And I'm so comfy. Can't we stay here and have a relaxing, wine drinking party?"

Mike scoffed. "You're in your 30s, Swan, and you're in Punta Cana, for fucks sakes. You'll have plenty of time to go geriatric on our asses after we get back to the city."

"There's no way I'll win this argument, is there?" Rose smiled sweetly and shook her head.

Mike glanced over his shoulder at me and arched a brow. "Would it help my cause if you knew that Edward was out right now with Emmett and Jasper?"

"Is that so?" I tried to sound shocked. In all honesty I expected him to be out with the guys. They'd been itching to give him a final sendoff for months. _And if he's out enjoying himself, then you should be out doing the same._ "Who wants to help me get ready?"

"You know I will!" Victoria slung her arm over my shoulder and steered me toward the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later my hair was brushed down, my face was made up, and I looked pretty good in the dress Rose picked out for me.

"That's better! Ready ladies?" Mike held the door open, ushering us into the hall. We followed his lead to the resort's Caribbean restaurant and bar. The hostess led us to a private room, and I gasped when I saw Renee, Esme, Charlotte, and Laurent waiting to greet us.

"You're all in on this?" I asked as my mom swept me up in a hug.

"Mike did the dirty work. We just had to show up," Esme said with a wink. I smiled, giving my soon-to-be mother-in-law a hug before taking a seat.

"Girl, we couldn't let you sit in your room on the eve of your wedding!" Laurent breezed by, stopping to kiss my cheek and slipping into the open chair next to Mike.

"Well thank you for this. It means so much." Though I had myself firmly convinced a night of rest and relaxation was the best pre-wedding plan, I was happy that my friends had thought to bring me out.

When Edward suggested having our wedding in the Caribbean, I was immediately on board. I'd always dreamt of saying "I do" on a white sandy beach, and knowing that was what he wanted as well only made the idea seem that much more perfect.

Of course I had no idea then how much planning went into preparing for and executing a destination wedding. Picking a location had been the easiest part. Punta Cana was Edward's favorite Caribbean vacation spot, and somewhere I'd always wanted to visit. Getting everything organized in the Dominican, on the other hand, turned out to be one headache after another. After several meetings with various travel agencies, I approached Edward and suggested we hire a wedding planner. It wouldn't be the cheapest route to take, but there were plenty who specialized in destination weddings, and I felt more comfortable handing paperwork responsibilities over to someone with experience. We spent a week going back and forth on the issue when Esme offered to help us out. Years in the hospitality industry had left her with a solid network, and as it turned out she knew someone who had worked on many a Dominican wedding over the years. Despite my attempts to cover the costs, Esme insisted on giving us the planner as a wedding gift, and so while Maggie worked on securing rooms at the resort and making sure we had all of the necessary documents for a civil ceremony in Punta Cana, I focused on color schemes, dresses, food, and who to invite.

At the end of the day things had worked out quite well. In addition to our close friends and parents, Jasper's parents were able to attend, as well as some of my college friends and a select group of Edward's business colleagues. Most of us had arranged to spend ten days in the Dominican, turning the weekend wedding into a weeklong getaway. For Edward and I, the week following the ceremony would act as our honeymoon. Only instead of spending it alone, we would have the pleasure of enjoying the time with our friends.

"Are you nervous?" Victoria asked.

I shrugged. "A bit I guess. It's not so much nerves about the marriage itself though. I'm more concerned about everything going according to plan tomorrow." The forecast called for light rain in the morning, which would move out around lunch and leave clear skies the rest of the day. Our wedding was scheduled for four in the afternoon, with dinner and a small reception on the beach immediately after. I hoped that Mother Nature had mercy on us and didn't decide to drop a random afternoon thunderstorm.

"Maggie made preparations, so you don't have to worry." Esme reached across the table and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "The resort has a room held in the event that it rains. It's not ideal by any means, but it helps to know all your bases are covered."

"C'mon, now. No speculating about what could go wrong tomorrow!" Alice shook her finger at us dramatically.

"Ahem!" Laurent cleared his throat and clinked his fork against his water glass. A hushed silence fell over the table and he stood up. "On behalf of everyone here, I would like to say thank you to Bella for inviting us to join her and Edward during this magical week." Everyone at the table nodded their agreement. "Now, I know we already had a wild bachelorette weekend back home, but a few of us wanted to give you some gifts that we thought would be nice to use while you're here."

"Oh, God." My heartbeat quickened and my cheeks flushed. The thought of receiving inappropriate gifts didn't worry me – under _normal_ circumstances. Esme, Charlotte, and my mom were there, however, and I was simultaneously nervous and excited to see what people had in store.

"I'll start," Victoria offered, handing me a card. I slipped it open and two pieces of paper fell out.

"An ocean spa?" I asked as I scanned the papers.

Victoria nodded. "Mhmm. It's an afternoon cruise," she explained. "You'll get four hours alone with Edward, complete with massages, body treatments, and a trip to some natural swimming pools."

"Wow! Edward is going to love this! Thank you so much!" I smiled appreciatively and tucked the papers and the accompanying card back into the envelope. Alice was next, sliding a sparkly bag toward me.

"For tomorrow night," she said with a wink. I pulled a layer of tissue from the bag, revealing a matching bra and panty set. The lingerie was navy colored and sexy in a subtle way. It was exactly the kind of thing I would wear.

"Thank you, Ali." The next half hour consisted of more gifts, none of which we too inappropriate to my relief. We were about to dig into our food when my mom clinked her knife against the side of her plate.

"Everyone else had a little something special for you, and I do too." She pushed her chair back and pulled a large box out from beneath the table. I thought I heard Mike snicker, but I was too busy trying to figure out what she could have gotten me that was _that_ big.

"Seriously mom? Did you put all of Seattle in here?"

"Nah, just a few … hand-me-downs, you could say." I watched as she exchanged a knowing look with Mike. Confused as ever, I tugged at the large bow that held the box together. I looked around at my friends in hopes of getting some form of reassurance, but expectant faces were all that greeted me.

I pulled the top off of the box and gazed inside. A familiar brown Louis Vuitton suitcase was all I saw. Realization hit me and my cheeks started to burn. I wondered what would be easier – hiding beneath the table or bolting out the restaurant doors.

"What is it?" Esme looked over Renee's shoulder.

"Is this…?" I didn't have to finish my question. I didn't even need to ask it. I already knew where the suitcase was from and what the contents were.

"I believe you forgot this at our place a few years back." My mom's eyes glinted mischievously. "Mike was kind enough to call and remind me about it. We thought you and Edward might like to have it for your … _honeymoon_."

"Is there a story behind the bag?" Charlotte asked. Mike opened his mouth to speak, but my glare silenced him.

"It's nothing," I said, putting the lid back on the box and shoving it under the table. Once everyone else was busy conversing, I leaned over and hissed in my mom's ear, "I can't believe you kept that."

She shrugged. "It's an expensive bag, Bella. Even the contents are expensive."

"How do you know anything about the contents of that bag?" I regretted the words as soon as they were out. "On second thought, don't answer that."

"I wasn't born yesterday, darling daughter." She patted my arm and winked. "I know my way around the Internet and the erotica section on Amazon."

I cringed. "Really, you don't need to elaborate."

"I'm just returning the favor, Bella."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Returning the favor?"

Renee nodded. "My face was probably twice as red as yours is now when I found that suitcase."

At this, I couldn't help but smile. "Touché, Mom. Touché."

I looked down at the box under the table and bit my lip.

One deliciously spicy honeymoon week was coming right up.

**-=-HC-=-**

I pushed my toes into the sand and sighed as the warm granules slid against my feet. Renee ran the blush brush over my cheeks twice more before instructing me to open my eyes.

"Perfect!" She smiled and admired her work. "You look stunning, Bella. I've never seen you so happy."

I blushed and looked away. Even though my relationship with my mom had changed dramatically since high school, I still struggled with taking compliments from her at times. Now was one of those times.

"Don't be embarrassed, sweetheart." Renee cupped my chin with her hand and turned my head until I faced her once more. "Today is a day you'll remember forever. Not just because of what you're about to do, although that is where most of your recollections will come from. But the way you feel and look – in love, overjoyed, and beautiful – will stay with you forever too."

"Renee, is she-" Alice's words caught in her throat as I turned to face her. A smile spread across her face and she clasped her hands together over her chest. "Oh, Bella. I've never seen a more beautiful bride."

I let out a nervous laugh. "So I heard." Humor seemed like the best way to distract myself from the anxiety that pulsed through my veins.

My best friend stepped forward and carefully wrapped her arms around me. "They're ready," she whispered. I nodded and pulled back, swiping my thumbs over my cheeks softly. _No tears yet, Bella,_ I reminded myself.

"Are _you_ ready?" Renee asked when we were alone once more. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"More than I've ever been for anything."

My mom took my hand in hers and led me out of the dressing tent. Charlie was waiting for us, and when his eyes met mine another round of tears threatened to spill onto my cheeks.

"Bells," he whispered. He ran a hand over my hair and cupped it against my cheek. I pressed my face into his palm and closed my eyes, relishing in the comfort my father's touch brought. The first few chords of a Caribbean guitar song began playing behind him. That was our cue.

"C'mon, Baby." Renee gave me an encouraging smile and Charlie took my free hand in his. We made our way to the small group of guests who had gathered on the beach.

"I love you, Bell," Charlie whispered, leaning down to kiss my cheek. Renee did the same and I squeezed both of their hands.

"I love you guys too," I said.

The walk up the aisle with both of my parents at my side was relatively quick, but I felt like it took forever. I attributed this to my nerves and the incredibly handsome man waiting for me. Edward had cut his hair before we left New York, and it was styled up into an attractive mess. The cream color of his suit stood out against his tanned skin, and his green eyes sparkled with a degree of excitement I'd never seen before.

We stopped a few feet from where the bridal party stood. Edward stepped forward and Charlie placed my hand in his. Both he and Renee gave my soon-to-be husband a hug before taking their seats behind us.

I could feel the everyone's' eyes on me – the bridal party, the guests, and the pastor – but the only person who mattered was the one standing beside me.

"You have no idea how beautiful you look right now," Edward whispered. My cheeks warmed and I gave him a sideways glance. The pastor began to speak, but I could barely hear the words he said. My body was on the beach, but my mind was all over the place. I couldn't wait to call this amazing man my husband. I couldn't wait to get back to New York and start building the next leg of our life together. I couldn't wait to get Edward alone in our suite later and show him exactly how a loving wife worshipped her adoring husband…

"Edward and Bella elected to write their own vows, which they will now exchange." The pastor's words brought my attention back to the present, and I turned so that I was facing Edward. Jasper stepped forward, handing us each the correct ring, and Edward cleared his throat.

"From the moment the first 'I love you' fell from our lips, I knew I wanted you to be the woman I spent the rest of my life uttering those words to. What was once darkness is light when I'm with you. What was once desolation is comfort and joy when I'm with you. What was once a life so ordinary and predictable is extraordinary and meaningful when I'm with you. I'm a better man when I'm with you, and the world around us is better too. I vow to bestow everlasting love upon you, Bella, and to give meaning to the word 'forever.' I don't come to this marriage with just my body, but also with my soul, my mind, and a heart that is full of love for you. With this ring," he said, slipping the band onto my finger and continuing, "I thee wed."

I blinked back the tears that blurred my vision and swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. My own vows weren't as long, but there was just as much feeling behind them. "A year ago I promised you my heart. Today I'm sealing that promise with a ring, a kiss, and a vow meant to last forever. I promise to support your dreams, because through them your passion and talent shine. I promise to give my heart to you and only you, because nobody has ever proven himself more worthy of it. I promise to be faithful, kind, and patient with you, Edward, and to never give up on us. One lifetime with you could never be enough time to show you how deeply I love you." I slid the ring onto his finger and brought his hand to my face, pressing my lips chastely against his palm. "With this ring I thee wed."

"Edward and Bella, through the vows you just exchanged, you have made a commitment to one another. It is with these vows in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife." The pastor smiled at us. "You have kissed already a thousand times, maybe even more. Today, your kiss acts as a promise, one that will seal the lifelong commitment you've just made. Edward, you may kiss the bride."

Edward tipped his head down, pressing his forehead against mine. I gazed into his eyes, faltering ever so slightly as the love I saw nestled there began to flow through me. He cupped my face with both hands and pressed his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and got lost in the sensations. Sand tickled my toes, his tongue tickled the corner of my mouth, and his fingers tickled my warmed-with-a-blush skin. I tangled my fingers in Edward's hair and pulled him closer. If it weren't for the loud whoop Mike let out, we probably would have remained like that for the rest of the afternoon.

"Friends and family, I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen." Our guests stood, all claps and smiles. Beside us, Rose and Alice were wrapped up in a hug, spinning each other around on the beach like children. My dad and Carlisle approached to give Edward a handshake, and Esme and Renee threw their arms around me at the same time.

The rest of the night was spent dining, drinking, and dancing on the beach. The seashell adorned cake Mike helped me pick was almost too beautiful to eat, but that didn't stop Edward from slicing into it – or whispering to me what kinds of filthy things he'd do with the frosting if no one was looking.

My bouquet was partially made of seashells, and for that reason I decided it would be best not to toss it out for anyone to catch. Mike insisted he would have caught it, however. He claimed he was destined to get married next, and then made a grand display of harassing Laurent about it for the remainder of the evening.

Edward held me close during our first dance, which was to Frank Sinatra's "Always." Carlisle gave a long toast that started out silly but ended on such a sentimental note that most of the ladies in the bridal party had tears in their eyes. And Charlie was kind enough to give a toast too, complete with a veiled threat to be remembered in the event that Edward ever hurt his precious baby girl.

Toward the end of the night the photographer asked the bridal party to gather for a final group photo. The six of us made our way out toward the water, stopping when we were about fifty feet from where it crashed into the shore. Jasper stood behind Alice, arms wrapped around her and face nuzzled against her neck. Emmett chased Rose in a circle, picking her up and spinning her around when he finally caught her. Edward grabbed my waist and spun me around until I faced him, then dipped me backwards so the ends of my hair brushed against the sand. His eyes twinkled brightly and a smile danced on his lips.

"I love you."

I couldn't help but return the grin as all the built-up happiness from the evening came pouring out. "I love you too."

The shutter clicked and the camera's flash went off, catching us at a unique and beautiful moment.

We weren't models and we certainly didn't look perfect.

But we were dressed in love. And that alone made the moment perfect enough.

**-=-HC-=-**

_November 2016 – A year and a half later_

Since first getting together, Edward and I made sure to visit Forks on a regular basis. We tried to alternate holidays, doing Thanksgiving one year and Christmas the next. This was supposed to be our year to stay in Manhattan for Turkey Day, but when Esme told us she and Carlisle wanted to see the Pacific Northwest town I once called home, neither Edward nor I could refuse.

"This place is beautiful." Esme stood at the picture window that overlooked my parents' backyard. A few of the trees still had green leaves, but they were bare for the most part, having surrendered their foliage to Mother Nature's harsh demands.

"Thank you. I'm sure it's nothing compared to some of the spots you've traveled to for holidays." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Renee adored Esme, but she also developed a complex when in her presence. The Cullens had the privilege of visiting places my parents – my mother in particular – had only ever dreamed of.

"We have been to some lovely locales," Esme admitted. "But when it comes to holidays, there's no place quite like a home to celebrate. You've done a terrific job of making this house homey, Renee."

This time my mother blushed. "Bella, can you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure, Mom." I squeezed Esme's shoulder and smiled before following Renee through the house. The smell of turkey made my mouth water and my stomach grumble. I swiped my finger through the bowl of whipped cream on the counter, dropping a large dollop on my tongue. Renee shook her finger at me and snatched the bowl away.

"We won't have any left for the pies if you keep that up."

"Oh, please. You don't need that entire bowl for two pies." I reached for the sweet treat once more, but my mom was too quick. She had it tucked away in the fridge before I could get to it.

I crossed the room and peered out the window, taking in the scene outside. Charlie was busy showing off his new toy, a 1969 Chevelle SS. Edward looked like a kid in a candy shop, sitting in the driver's seat while my dad leaned in the window and pointed out various things on the dash. Carlisle had his iPhone out and was snapping some photos. Between the car and the upcoming football game, I had no doubt that the three of them would stay occupied for the day.

"Can you mash the potatoes, Bell? The turkey's almost ready." Renee closed the oven door and tossed her potholders down on the counter. I nodded and grabbed the manual masher from one of the drawers. This had always been my task at Thanksgiving. This year I welcomed the job with open arms. I had news to share with everyone, but I wanted to wait until we were all seated for dinner.

Half an hour later my mom called Charlie in to carve the bird. Edward and Carlisle followed, washing up and putting out the place settings. Soon enough we were all seated in the small dining room with a good spread of food before us.

"We have a bit of a cheesy tradition in our house," Renee explained. "Every year before we dig in, we go around the table and share something we're thankful for. Would you like to start, Carlisle?"

My father-in-law said he was thankful for his family, which made Esme smile. She in turn said she was thankful for Renee and Charlie welcoming them into their home. Edward was thankful for a blissful first year of marriage, Charlie for a longer-than-normal fly-fishing season, and Renee for the newest additions to the family, meaning the in-laws. When it was my turn, I fumbled with my napkin and glanced over at Edward. We had news to share, and this seemed like the perfect moment to do so. He searched my face with his eyes before giving me a small smile and nod. I turned back to our parents and took a deep breath.

"I'm thankful for new additions to the family as well," I began. "I'm especially thankful for the addition that's coming in May of next year." I watched as realization dawned on everyone's faces. Renee was the first to understand what I meant, jumping up out of her chair and letting out a loud squeal.

"You're expecting?" As soon as the words left her mouth Esme leaped up as well. Carlisle clapped his hands together, and Charlie leaned back in his chair with a big smile on his face.

"How are along are you?" Esme asked.

"Twelve weeks," I explained. Edward reached over and placed his hand on my stomach. It was an intimate gesture, and one he'd been doing frequently since we found out.

My mom came around the table and flung her arms around my neck. "I'm going to be a grandma! Charlie, did you hear that? We're going to be grandparents!"

Esme was practically bouncing. "Will you find out the gender?"

Edward shook his head. "We're going to wait until the birth."

"Congratulations," Carlisle said, shaking his son's hand. Charlie did the same, and the focus of the day shifted from the meal and football to discussions about our child.

Later that night, when our bellies were full of pie and the leftovers were put away, Edward and I headed off to bed.

"That went well," he commented, stripping down to his boxers. I stretched out on one side of the bed and smiled.

"We knew it would."

"I love you so much." Edward dropped to his knees beside me and rested his cheek on my chest. I smiled at him, running my fingers through his hair and down the sharp angle of his jaw.

"I love you more." I said the words in a teasing tone, though I meant every one of them. His lips curved up in a smile and he closed his eyes.

"I think the tryptophan is kicking in," he joked, sitting up and stifling a yawn. I ran my fingers through his hair once more and laughed.

"I promise I won't be offended if you go to sleep."

"Are you ready for bed?"

I shook my head. "I'll stay up for awhile," I said. "My food coma hasn't quite kicked in yet."

I watched as Edward stood and stretched his arms above him. Every part of him was so beautiful – his heart especially.

"Goodnight, love." He flipped off the light, shrouding us in darkness. His lips brushed against mine briefly before he flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes.

I flung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. I wasn't tired in the least bit, so I grabbed a book from my suitcase and made my way to the kitchen. The house was quiet save for the ticking sound of Grandma Swan's old clock. I withdrew a canister of hot cocoa from the cupboard and busied myself with making a cup. Once I had added just the right amount of powder to the milk, I tossed in two fluffy white marshmallows and headed for the living room.

I took a seat in Mom's favorite chair, tucking my legs beneath me and setting the mug of cocoa on the windowsill. A light snow had started to fall earlier in the evening, and about an inch of fresh powder coated the deck and sidewalk. As I watched fat, fluffy flakes fall from the sky, I thought back to an earlier time and place.

Bits and pieces of the previous five years started to flash through my mind. Meeting Edward for the first time at the Guggenheim and feeling so ridiculous when I spewed champagne all over his suit; taking him on as a client and vowing that I would not allow myself to fall prey to his womanizing skills, though everyone around me knew I eventually would; our first kiss in his Lincoln, the excitement on his face at the book release party, and the exhilaration I felt when I finally agreed to give our relationship a try; the book tour, the bet, and our time in Paris; the way the air left my lungs when he dropped to one knee on a Maine beach, and his reaction when I said yes; his expression when I spoke my vows and the way his cheeks glistened with dampness just before we kissed; the love I saw in every one of his features when I presented him with the stick that held the two pink lines that would forever change our lives. We'd seen our share of both good and bad times. Through it all we managed to stay together, coming out stronger and happier, and ending up in a place neither of us could ever have dreamed of.

In that moment – silence around me, snow falling before me, hot chocolate warming me – I realized that it didn't matter where the next five, ten, even fifteen years took us. What mattered was that we had each other; to lean on when times got tough, to cheer when things went right, and to show incredible, unconditional, everlasting love to no matter what.

And love like ours? Well, that was something worth envying.

Love like ours was a hot commodity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder how many of you will remember which chapter I foreshadowed the events of this epilogue in? Hmmm... ;)
> 
> Before I say anything more, there are a few thank yous in order:
> 
> Chloe Masen - Through this entire, crazy ride, you've been one of my biggest cheerleaders - and become one of my best friends. Thank you for fixing my grammatical errors, listening to my rants, giving me doses of reality when needed, and always encouraging me to forge ahead.
> 
> Joey - So many parts of this story never would have come to fruition without your help and support. I am so blessed to call you my friend. Thank you for hours at Panera, helping me crush evil writing roadblocks, wrangling me in when I was lost out at sea, and helping me find inspiration when I most needed it.
> 
> RoseArcadia - It started with a blinkie and ended with a beautiful friendship. Thank you for the artwork, the pimpage, the support, and the always entertaining chats. I can't wait to really start working with you on the next leg of my writing journey.
> 
> Coppertop Johnson - Though we only recently really got to talking, you've always been graceful and inspiring. Thank you for your endless words of encouragement, your kindness, for reccing this story, and for all the help with teasers in the group. I look forward to continued conversations that span well beyond the world of fanfic.
> 
> EvilNat & KittyVuitton - You were two of the first people to rec this story and send others over to read it. Your support and kind words mean so much. Thank you for everything.
> 
> To all the ladies in my Facebook group - THANK YOU for sharing your theories, what you liked, what you didn't like so much, and for many a chapter of good conversation about the story and the characters. Your words - and support - mean so much to me.
> 
> To all the people and sites who recc'd or featured this story, to anyone who nominated or voted for Hot Commodity or me in the many fandom awards - THANK YOU so very much. In a world as large as the fic one is, it means more than I can even explain to know that people liked this story enough to do any of the above things.
> 
> Last, but absolutely never, ever least, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to all of my readers. Some of you I know well, others I'm not very familiar with, but your support and willingness to stick around, even when times got tough and updates became sporadic and it may have seemed like there was no end in sight, is something I can't thank you enough for. I appreciate every single one of you so very much. I hope that you'll continue to stick around as this journey goes on.
> 
> What's next in my world? A number of things:
> 
> * I fully intend on picking up If You Only Knew and finishing that story as well. So, for any of you who read that, please don't give up on me or on them. It's coming back, I assure you.
> 
> * Joey (aka WitchyVampireGirl) and I are in the process of whipping up a collaboration piece. She unleashed a brilliant plot bunny, I fell in love when she shared it with me, and now we're running with it. We just got that ball rolling, and the story won't post until it's complete, but we'll get the word out once we're ready to unveil it.
> 
> * I am currently in the process of writing a trilogy of original fiction novellas. With the help of an amazing team (all of whom I met through this beautiful fandom), I hope to have the first one up as an ebook sometime in the spring.
> 
> If you want to keep up on all of the things I'm doing, please make sure to follow me on Twitter - rpexaminer - or friend me on Facebook - I go by my penname, Rhiannon St Clair, over there. (There's also links to both my Twitter and Facebook on my bio page here).
> 
> This has been one hell of a wild ride. Thank you again for joining me on it.
> 
> xo
> 
> Nikki aka blueeyedcherry


	35. Futuretake: The Art of Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little futuretake I wrote for the Fandom4LLS compilation.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this small snapshot. It was so great to revisit these characters, cause lord knows I miss them. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading. xo
> 
> \- N.
> 
> Characters belong to SM. Hot Commodity belongs to me.

**BPOV**

_May 2022 – Five and a half years after the end of the second epilogue_

"Mommy!" Footsteps thundered down the stairs and through the hallway. I turned away from the sink just in time to catch my son as he tripped on the kitchen rug.

"Masen, you can't run in the house," I scolded. When he had regained his balance, I dropped my arms and stood back up.

"Sowwy," he said, green eyes cast down toward the floor. I ran my hand through his thick brown hair and shook my head. Edward's eyes weren't the only thing Masen had inherited; he could win people over better than his father, and he had only just turned five. _We're so screwed when he's a teenager,_ I thought

"Aren't you supposed to be playing a game with your grandma?"

Masen looked up at me, an excited smile on his face. "We finished the game, mommy. I won!" He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "When can I go outside with Daddy?"

"Daddy is busy with Papa and Grandpa Carlisle. He needs you to stay inside until they're finished."

He started bouncing up and down. "Please, Mommy."

I shook my head. "Daddy said you had to stay inside, and you need to listen to him." My mom appeared in the doorway. _Saved by Renee._ "I bet Grandma would like to watch a movie with you."

"I'd love to!" Renee winked at me and stepped forward, grabbing Masen's hand. "C'mon, Mase. You can pick what we watch." My little man took off for the living room before my mom could finish getting the words out. Their chatter filled the air, and I returned to the lunch I'd been preparing.

I looked out the kitchen window and surveyed the guys' progress. Edward, Carlisle, and Charlie were working hard to assemble Masen's new play set. Our backyard wasn't huge, but it was big enough to hold the birthday gift from my parents. Charlie had insisted on having the parts delivered while they were in town visiting. Edward wasn't thrilled about having to put it together, but the idea grew on him, and he eventually decided to recruit his own dad to help out too.

After Masen was born, Edward and I toyed with the idea of relocating. It wasn't impossible to grow a family in Manhattan; I knew many people who had done it successfully. We craved more space than Manhattan could give us, however. So, when I found out I was pregnant with our daughter, Joey, four years earlier, we made the decision to get something bigger. Several months of searching led us to a beautiful townhouse in Brooklyn, in the same neighborhood Edward grew up in.

Now we had ample space for the four of us, Carlisle and Esme were literally just around the corner, and we could still see our friends whenever we wanted.

Five and a half years was a long time, and as it passed by, we all went through changes. When David turned five, Rose and Emmett decided to purchase a home in Connecticut near her parents. Emmett continued to work on theater productions, and had started doing some writing along with directing and producing. Rose was now working on style guides in addition to her fashion design. She spent more time in front of her computer than she did in her studio, but she didn't mind. Working from home meant she could spend more time with David and Emmett, and unless she had something to take care of in her studio or a social function to attend, we didn't see her face too much in the city.

A year after Edward and I had Masen, Alice and Jasper welcomed twin girls, Chloe and Mandi, into the world. As much as she wanted to have a natural birth, it just wasn't in the cards for Alice, and so she'd delivered by caesarean section. Postpartum depression hit her like a pile of bricks, and she'd spent six months after the birth of her girls getting help with overcoming the deep seeded sadness she felt. None of us were surprised by how well Jasper handled the darkest of his wife's days. He somehow managed to continue working full time, handle everything around the house, and ensure the needs of two newborn babies were met. An experience like theirs had the potential to tear two people apart, but in the end it only brought Alice and Jasper closer together.

The event-planning segment of our firm had continued to grow. Our clients told their friends how good of a job we did, and before long we started to get a decent amount of inquiries from the West Coast, asking if we were willing to travel or do some type of long-distance work. After many hours of discussion, Alice and I decided to make Mike a partner, and asked him if he was interested in opening and running a Los Angeles based office. He talked to Laurent that night, and by the next day had made his decision. The LA office opened a little over a year ago, and so far things were going great.

After years of catching bouquets, Mike was finally getting the one thing he'd always wanted – a wedding of his own. He had proposed to Laurent on Thanksgiving Day, and true to Newton form, the whole thing had been a bit theatrical…

" _How do you want me to carve this turkey?" Edward leaned against the counter and inspected the finished product._

" _What do you mean 'how do I want you to carve it?'" I wiped my hands on a nearby dishtowel and peeked over my husband's shoulder._

" _Is there a specific way you like it done? White meat and dark met separated? Mixed together? Drumsticks included or left on the bird? It's a delicate process I hear," Edward winked and grabbed the electric carving knife. I rolled my eyes and started fishing dishes out of the cupboard._

" _Just get it carved and don't worry about it."_

_Edward shrugged and got busy. He almost had the whole thing done when Mike burst through the kitchen door._

" _Bella, Masen is-" Mike stopped abruptly and threw his hands in the air. "EDWARD! What are you doing?"_

_My husband turned around slowly, knife in hand and one eyebrow arched. "Carving the turkey?"_

" _Shit! SHIT!" Mike tugged at his hair and began to pace back and forth. "I was going to do that!"_

_I blew out an exasperated breath and put down the stack of plates I was holding. "Who carves the turkey is the last thing on my mind right now, Mike. I have a table to set, a dinner to put out, and two children to wrangle up before Carlisle and Esme get here."_

" _But, Bella-"_

" _No buts!" I picked the stack of plates back up and thrust them towards Mike. "Take these and set the table. The silverware should already be out there." Mike opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. His shoulders slumped forward as he made his way out of the kitchen._

_I was being a bitch and I knew it. The morning had gotten off on the wrong foot, with Edward forgetting to set the alarm and our new dog, Honey, doing his business all over the living room floor. Between dressing the kids and cleaning up after the dog, I had gotten a late start with the cooking, and now I was rushing around in an effort to compensate for the lost time. My nerves were fried and we hadn't even eaten yet._

" _Um, Bella?" I looked up to find Laurent standing in the doorway. "Masen had a little bit of an accident." I watched as my son stepped out from behind Laurent's legs, his pants and shoes covered in mud._

_I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, counting to five in my head before responding. "Masen Charles Cullen! What on Earth have you been doing?"_

"' _I'm sowwy mommy." His lower lip began to tremble and tears glistened in his eyes. "I was wacing Unca Mike and I twipped on Honey's wope."_

_I bit my lip and sighed. My own tears were on the brink of unleashing themselves. Masen's outfit was a gift from Esme, specifically for him to wear that day. Even if we washed it, which we wouldn't have time to do, the outfit was still ruined; I could see rips in both knees on the pants._

_Edward's eyes met mine and he took in my expression. He set down the carving knife, rinsed his hands, and bent down to kiss my cheek. "It'll be okay," he whispered in my ear. I watched helplessly as he picked our son up and hauled him off towards the stairs. Laurent crossed the kitchen and placed a hand on my shoulder._

" _Can I help with anything?"_

" _We can start bringing the food out," I said with a weak smile. He pulled me against him in a half hug and kissed the top of my head._

" _We'll make it through the day, Bella. And just remember, this shit only rolls around once a year." Laurent's comment made me laugh, and I felt a small bit of weight lift from my shoulders._

_By the time my in-lawns arrived, Masen looked presentable, the table was set, and Joey had woken from her nap. Mike snapped out of whatever funk the turkey carving had left him in, and for the first time since waking up that morning, I felt like the day might actually be okay._

_Once we were all seated and had said what we were thankful for, Carlisle began passing around platters full of food. We were about fifteen minutes into our meal when Laurent dropped his fork and began sputtering._

" _I think he's choking!" Esme stood, placing her napkin on her plate and rounding the table. She pulled Laurent's chair out and got him to stand, then proceeded to perform the Heimlich. After two strong pumps to the chest, a wad of turkey flew from Laurent's mouth, landing on the table in front of him._

" _Jesus," he sputtered out, grabbing the nearest glass of water and gulping down half of it. "What the hell did you put in this turkey? I think I may have broken a tooth!"_

" _The only thing that went in that bird was stuffing," I promised._

_Mike laughed, and when I looked at him, his cheeks were the color of cherries. Using his fork, he pushed around the clump of regurgitated turkey until a silver band fell out. "There she is!"_

" _There who is?" Laurent asked as he leaned over to get a better look at what Mike was doing. Mike cleaned the ring off and pushed his chair back, then dropped to his knees on the floor._

" _If someone would have left the turkey for me to carve, this wouldn't have happened." Mike gave Edward a dirty look before continuing. "I had this sitting on the turkey platter, with the intention of putting it on top of_ your _turkey once dinner was plated. That obviously didn't happen. I'm just glad it ended up on the right plate. Laurent, love of my life, will you be the man who carves my turkey forever? Will you be my husband?"_

" _You were going to put the ring on top of my turkey? Who does that, Newton? What if I had poured gravy on before looking?" Laurent sounded serious, but he had laughter dancing in his eyes. He reached his left hand out. "Of course I'll carve your turkey forever, you beautiful, ridiculous, man. I might even give you some good stuffing to go along with it."_

_Charlie's eyes bugged out of his head and Renee laughed. "I get the feeling we aren't talking about turkey anymore," she whispered. We watched as Mike slid the ring on Laurent's finger. The two men stood and wrapped each other in a big embrace._

" _Mommy, how can Unca Mike mawwy Unca Lawant? Two boys can't get mawwied," Masen said matter-of-factly._

" _Uh…" I couldn't find the words to say. I wanted my son to grow up knowing that I didn't care who he fell in love with. All that mattered was that he was happy. He was far too young to try and explain that to, however._

_Esme leaned down so she was eye level with Masen. "In New York, we can marry anyone we want," she explained. "Lots of people marry their best friend. That's what Uncle Mike and Uncle Laurent are doing."_

_Masen took a bite of turkey and chewed, his face contemplative. "Is Gwandpa youw best fwiend?"_

_Esme smiled. "He is," she answered, grabbing Carlisle's hand and giving it a squeeze. "He always will be."_

…

I smiled at the Thanksgiving memories. I would always look back on that day fondly. What had started as a stressful mess turned into an entertaining and romantic day. Now, six months later, Mike and Laurent were preparing for their wedding, which was scheduled to take place in Central Park in two weeks. My parents had come to town for the occasion, and Carlisle and Esme were gracious enough to let them stay at their place while in town.

"How's lunch coming?" I jumped at the sound of Edward's voice.

I turned and smiled at him, then crossed the room and opened the oven door. "It's done."

"Just in time," he said, rubbing his belly appreciatively. "All that hard work makes a man hungry."

"Are you finished already?" I turned back to the window and took note of the completed play system. Masen was running around it in circles, waving his hands in the air and yelling excitedly.

"We got done about ten minutes ago. I thought you saw? You've been staring out the window at us for the past half hour."

I turned back to my husband, sliding my hands along his shoulders and linking my fingers behind his neck. "I must have spaced out. It looks great. Masen will love it."

Edward wound his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him, "I think Joey will enjoy it too. Now you won't have to make as many trips to the playground."

"Oh yes I will." I pulled away and grabbed my trusty Ove' Glove. "Playground dates are the equivalent of Sunday brunch nowadays, in case you hadn't noticed," I said, taking the pan of lasagna out of the oven.

"Ah, that's right!" Edward came up behind me and slid an arm around my waist. He pulled me toward him until my back was flush with his chest. His breath tickled my ear when he spoke. "I'd never begrudge you Sunday mornings at the playground."

"Thank you for that." I turned my head and sighed as his lips met mine. I worked my hand up and over his cheek until my fingers were tangled in his hair. He groaned when I tried to pull him closer to me.

"Whoa, let's try to keep this g-rated, shall we?"

My cheeks burned with a full-on blush as I turned to face Charlie. "Sorry, Dad."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked awkwardly around the kitchen. "Your mom said I should see if you needed any help in here," he explained, finally looking me in the eye. It didn't matter how old I got or how many times Charlie caught me kissing Edward; it always left me feeling embarrassed. "Do you need any help?"

"You could bring the lasagna out," I said. Charlie simply nodded and grabbed the pan, disappearing through the kitchen door.

"I swear, that man has a built-in radar for detecting physical contact," Edward muttered. I laughed and grabbed a bowl of salad, shoving it in my husband's hands and giving him a light swat on the butt.

"Perhaps we just have _too much_ physical contact," I teased.

Edward squeezed my hip and lowered his mouth to my ear once more. "Later, when the parents are gone and the kids are in bed, we'll see if you think it's too much physical contact." I shivered involuntarily at the promise behind his words.

Some things – my hair, his wardrobe, and our family composition – had changed over the years.

Other things – my attraction to him, his insatiable appetite for me – hadn't.

**-=- HC -=-**

"How many kids can safely fit on that thing?" Rose swiveled in her patio chair and looked out at the back yard.

"I have no idea. Edward didn't give me specific numbers." I sipped my water and popped a carrot stick in my mouth.

"Well, someone should check with Charlie. The last thing we need is a Sunday afternoon trip to the emergency room." Rose continued to watch the gaggle of children that had collected on the play set.

It was the day of Masen's fifth birthday party, and our townhouse was full. In addition to our family, friends, and their kids, Masen had requested to invite a small group of his preschool classmates. Roughly ten kids were busy crawling around and playing on his birthday gift.

"The play set is fine, I assure you," Edward said, coming up behind me and planting a kiss on the top of my head. He held a plate of food in one hand and wore a large, silly looking white chef's hat on his head.

"Can I get that in writing?" Rose joked. Edward brought his free hand to his face and used his middle finger to scratch his nose. The girls and I laughed.

"Bella, this is such a lovely party!" Lauren Mallory, one of the few preschool moms I knew, gushed. I stood and gave her a friendly hug.

"Thank you, but I can't take any of the credit. My mom planned everything."

"Well, your mother is a terrific party planner. Like mother, like daughter, right?" Lauren waved to the play set. "I'm afraid Kyra and I have to get going. Her sister has a dance recital this evening and I still need to pick the costume up from the tailor."

"Thank you for coming out! Masen appreciates it," I said, giving her another hug and a warm smile. Lauren nodded and collected her daughter.

"Dance recitals, play sets, kiddie parties… When did we become such _moms_?" Rose placed heavy emphasis on the last word.

"We're 40 and we have children. We're supposed to be moms," Alice laughed.

Rose sat forward in her chair, pushing her sunglasses down her nose and glaring dramatically at Alice. "Speak for yourself, Short Stop. _You_ are 40. Bella and I are still living out our thirties, thank you very much."

I snorted. "Rose is going to be one of _those_ women."

"What women?" she asked, turning to face me.

"The ones who spend each year after 40 turning 35 again."

"Oh, she's totally going to be one of those women," Alice said, leaning back in her chair and laughing.

"35 was a good year, bitches." Rose stuck her tongue out at both of us and pushed her sunglasses back on.

"Language, ladies! There are children present!" Charlie stood near the door, hands on his hips and a frown on his face. I bit my lip to keep from giggling even harder.

Alice crossed the patio and gave my dad a big hug. "Our apologies, Mr. Swan. We don't get out as much these days, so when we're together, things tend to get a bit crazy."

"I have a hard time believing the first part," Charlie chuckled. "Edward wants to know if you're ready for cake and presents?"

I glanced at my watch. "That should be fine. We'll round the kids up." It took a good ten minutes to get the raucous bunch into the house, but we succeeded. I moved to stand next to the chair Edward sat in, but he intercepted me and pulled me down onto his lap instead. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and sat up straight, so as to avoid falling off of his knee.

Renee and Esme sat Masen in the center of his circle of friends and began handing him gifts. Each item seemed to excite him more than the last, and when my mom placed the final ones – a rectangular shaped box and a gift bag from Mike and Laurent – in front of him, he was practically vibrating with excitement.

"It's weally big," he shouted as he started ripping the paper away. When I saw the graffiti on the side of the cardboard, I immediately knew what the gift was. I turned to Edward and pressed my forehead against his.

"God help us…"

"What is it?" he whispered.

"A skateboard."

Edward tensed up. "I'm going to kill them." After watching a video of Jamie Thomas at Alice and Jasper's house, Masen decided he wanted a skateboard of his own. He'd spent the last six months asking for one, and each time Edward and I explained that he was too young and it was something we would consider when he got older. I'd never thought to tell our friends that he couldn't have one, and I was sure Masen had brought it up around them during one babysitting adventure or another. I just never thought anyone would bite the bait and actually buy him one.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look! A skateboawd!" Masen opened the box itself and jumped up He stood on the board, kicking his foot against the wood floor.

"Easy there, Mase." Mike nudged him off the board and picked it up. "We still need to attach the wheels."

"Thewe's mowe!" Masen tore into the accompanying gift bag, throwing tissue paper in the air. He pulled out a helmet and a set of knee and elbow pads.

"I told Mike he had to get the safety gear if he was going to get the board," Laurent explained. I smiled gratefully. At least one of them was using his head when they made the purchase.

Masen spent the next twenty minutes begging us to put the wheels on his new skateboard. Edward finally got fed up and put the board away, telling him that he was not allowed to do any skating with so many people in the house or without one of us present. This led to a temper tantrum, complete with crying, stomping feet, and some screaming. Once the hysterics concluded, everyone enjoyed a piece of cake and then the guests began to trickle out.

A few hours later, Alice joined me at the kitchen sink, giving me a light hip check. "Let me help you with those," she said, gesturing to the dishes I was busy rinsing. I smiled and handed her a plate to dry.

"The girls must be exhausted," I commented.

"Right now they are. That will change the minute we get home." We both laughed, knowing the truth behind her words.

"I think Edward's going to kick Mike's ass."

"For getting the skateboard?" I nodded. "That's what aunts and uncles are for. They supply your kids with all of the obnoxious, unsafe toys you refuse to buy yourself."

"I know, but a skateboard of all things? He's too young for something like that, Ali."

"Bell," Alice started, setting the dishtowel down and turning to face me, "have you ever gone on You Tube? There are videos of kids even younger than Mase skateboarding. There's even dogs that do it. It's not like he'll be out mimicking Tony Hawk on your front steps. He'll learn, and you and Edward will make sure he does it safely and slowly."

I breathed a sigh of relief and gave my best friend an appreciative smile. This was how we spent some of our days now: talking one another off the ledge when our kids did or thought of something crazy.

"Ali?" Jasper stepped in the kitchen, followed by Edward and Charlie. "Are you ready to head out? We still have to run by my parents' place."

"Sure." Alice gave me a quick embrace and tossed the dishtowel at Edward "Think you can handle the work, Cullen?"

My husband was about to answer, but Charlie grabbed the towel and took Alice's spot instead. "I've got it."

Everyone cleared out of the kitchen, leaving my dad and I to work in comfortable silence.

"This place isn't so bad, kid," he said after a few minutes. I rinsed the final platter and pulled the rubber stopper from the sink.

"Thanks, Dad."

"You've got a good thing going here." Charlie hung the towel over the handle on the oven and leaned against the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced out the window. "Your mother was talking to Carlisle about property upstate. She thinks we should retire out this way. You know, so we can be closer to you and the kids."

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. This was the first time either of my parents had mentioned anything about moving.

"Don't get too excited yet," he continued. "We're just tossing ideas around right now. But I wanted you to know and have a chance to say something. In case it's not what you'd like to see happen, you know?"

"Dad, stop." I held my hand up and closed my eyes, taking a minute to collect my thoughts. When I opened them again he was looking at me. "I would love for you and Mom to live closer. I just need a few minutes to process the information."

"You've got plenty of time to process it, Bell. Like I said, we're just tossing ideas around right now." Charlie pushed himself off the counter, planting a kiss on my head. "You know me, though. I always give in to that woman."

I laughed. "Yeah, yeah you do."

Charlie stopped in the doorway to the room, turning to face me. A ghost of a smile danced on his lips. "I'm proud of you, Bell." He looked like he had more to say, but he didn't. Instead, he turned and walked away.

 _I'm proud of me too, Dad,_ I thought.

_I'm proud of all of us._

**-=-HC-=-**

_Two weeks later..._

The morning of Mike's wedding brought rain – lots and lots of rain.

At 8am my phone rang, pulling me from my slumber.

"Swan!" Mike barked out. I rubbed my eyes and pushed Edward's arm off of me so I could sit up.

"Good morning to you too," I grumbled. Edward opened one eye and looked at me. I shrugged and stifled a yawn.

"Have you looked outside?"

"The only thing I've looked at this morning is my phone, and that's because it wouldn't stop ringing, even after I ignored the first three calls," I said sarcastically.

Mike paid no attention to my tone. "It's raining outside, and not the good raining men kind of rain." I got up and crossed the room, pulling back the drapes. A big bolt of lighting lit up the sky, followed by a clap of thunder so loud it rattled the windows.

"Was this in the forecast?" I asked lamely. I had no idea what else to say.

"No, it was not in the forecast!" Mike screeched. I could hear Laurent in the background, trying to calm my friend down, but it was no use. "You're my Best Matron, Bella. You need to get over here right now and help me figure out what the fuck I'm going to do."

"Are you serious right now? The wedding isn't until four. Mother Nature has eight hours to get her shit together."

"Bella!"

I sighed and swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

"I'll be there in a half hour," I mumbled, hanging up the phone before Mike had a chance to freak out more. Edward sat up, running his fingers through his shaggy hair and frowning.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Mike is freaking out because it's raining," I explained as I moved around the room and gathered my things. "I need to get over there and diffuse the situation before he goes completely postal."

"Shouldn't Laurent be the one doing that? I mean, after today that'll be his job. Forever and ever."

I sat on the edge of the bed and kissed Edward's cheek. The stubble from his very noticeable five o'clock shadow tickled my lips, making me giggle. "I hope he remembered to include that in his vows."

"Are you coming back here?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

"What's our plan if you don't make it home before the ceremony?" Edward always worried about logistics, especially after we had Masen. I knew where his mind was without him having to tell me.

"Our parents are bringing the kids with them," I said in an attempt to ease his worries. "I packed Masen's suit and Joey's dress when I dropped them off with your mom last night. If I'm not back here by noon you should meet me at The Four Seasons."

"Do I need to bring anything?"

"Only your tux." I gave him another chaste kiss and stood up. He grabbed my hand in his, tugging me back down and pulling me close.

"You're amazing," he whispered, pressing his lips against mine and tangling his fingers in my hair. As always, I was powerless to the effect he had on me. I melted against him, like putty in his hands.

I broke our kiss before things could go any further. "I love you," I said.

"I love you too, baby," he murmured. For a minute, I thought about calling Laurent and telling him to deal with his fiancé. I could put my things back, crawl into bed, and spend the next few hours making love to the man who had brought me so much joy over the years. I could enjoy a good breakfast, get ready at a leisurely pace, and arrive at the hotel feeling refreshed and happy.

I sighed and shoved off of the bed once more. I could do all of those things, but I wouldn't. Instead, I would get in a taxi, hair a mess and makeup smudged all over my face, ride over to The Four Seasons, and try to get the situation – and my always histrionic best friend – under control.

"Esme said they'd keep the kids tonight if we wanted. So, you, me, and that deliciously comfortable bed have a date later," I said, winking at Edward as I grabbed my bag.

"Promise?"

"Promise." I blew him a kiss and headed for the door.

By the time I got to The Four Seasons, things had gone from bad to worse.

"My day is ruined!" Mike wailed. He was pacing around the suite that he and Laurent shared, tugging at his hair. The skin on his face and neck was covered with bright red blotches, a side effect of his escalating anxiety. Alice showed up a few minutes after me, having been alerted to the situation via a text from Laurent.

"This is ridiculous," I whispered to Alice. She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded her agreement.

Laurent sidled up next to us and passed me a prescription bottle. "I found his Xanax."

"Thanks," I mumbled. I took a deep breath and crossed the room, grabbing Mike's arm and shoving him down on a nearby armchair. "Alright Newton, listen up. You're not here to audition for a comeback season of Bridezillas; you're here to get ready for your goddamn wedding. I know it's raining, and I know that sucks, but this show has to go on regardless of the circumstances. Now, you're going to take this Xanax, you're going to lie down on that couch, and you're going to let Alice put some cold washcloths on your face. I will call the yacht company and see if it's possible to have the ceremony on the boat prior to the reception. You know, in the event that the rain doesn't let up. This isn't the end of the world, it's just a little hiccup in your plans."

Mike's head snapped up. "Washcloths? Is my face red?" I bit my lip and nodded. Mike's eyes bulged and he let out another wail. "Nothing is working out!" He dropped his head to his hands and kept yelling. I looked at Alice, who gave me a knowing nod. She and Laurent began to work on getting Mike to the couch while I stepped into the suite's bedroom and closed the door.

Forty-five minutes later, I hung up my phone with a smile. The yacht company agreed to do the ceremony on board if it was still raining. Because of the circumstances, they offered to let us board the boat an hour early for no extra charge. The photographer was coming to the hotel to take some afternoon-of-the-wedding photographs, and Rose was on her way over with our tuxedos. It sounded like Laurent and Alice had managed to get Mike under control, and when I poked my head back into the sitting room, I saw the sandy haired bridegroom sleeping on the couch.

"How many Xanax did you give him?" I whispered as I joined Laurent and Alice at the table.

"Two," Laurent explained. "But we gave him a gimlet with them."

I shook my head and chuckled. "You better hope he's up by one."

"He will be," Alice said. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and looked at me. "What did you find out?"

"The charter group said we can board at three and they have no problem with Garrett performing the ceremony on the boat," I explained. "Rose is on her way over so we can get ready here, and the photographer will be here by two."

"You're a fucking rock star, Bella." Laurent rounded the table and hugged me tightly from behind. "Seriously, we both owe you. Me especially. He doesn't listen to anyone like he does you."

"Well he better start. Los Angeles isn't exactly close, and I don't have enough frequent flier miles to use to diffuse his every crisis."

"Los Angeles is way laid back compared to Manhattan," Laurent said. "And, oddly enough, Mike is way laid back when he's in The Golden State."

"That's good to know." I looked at my phone and stifled a yawn. "How do you two feel about breakfast?"

Alice blew out a loud breath. "Yes, please. I need food and caffeine."

I looked at Laurent. "Sarabeths?"

"Works for me," he said. I fired off a text to Rose, letting her know where we were going and that she should meet us there as soon as she could. Then, the three of us gathered our things and headed down to catch a cab.

Hopefully Mike wouldn't wake up while we were gone.

If he did, I knew the already long day would only get even longer.

**-=-HC-=-**

When push came to shove, everything worked out just fine.

The rain let up shortly after noon, and by four the sun was shining and the humidity had arrived. We piled into a limo, which took us to Central Park. The good thing about wearing suits was that we also wore Chuck Taylors, so heels sinking into wet grass weren't a concern, at least not for the wedding party.

Mike was all smiles as Garrett guided him and Laurent through the unconventional ceremony. I expected vows that were just as ridiculous as everything else that came out of his mouth, but the ones he wrote were actually quite heartfelt, bringing tears to my eyes. Laurent's vows were sweet too, and by the time they said, "I do," I was certain we all were teetering on the edge of romantic overload.

The reception was fabulous. Mike's attention to detail showed through in everything, from the dessert bar containing nothing but pink, purple, and blue (the color of our tuxedos and the theme of the wedding) types of candy, to the verses from our favorite songs that were scripted on the back of our place cards. I didn't ask, but I knew that despite his morning worries, Mike was pleased with the way things had gone. He'd pulled off his own fairy tale wedding, to a man who he'd always said could rival any one of the many versions of Prince Charming.

Laurent and Mike toasted one another, each taking a minute to recall their version of how they had first met. Alice and Jasper said a few words as well, having been the ones who were ultimately responsible for seeing that the men of the hour got hooked up. Laurent's big, boisterous Italian family took turns with the microphone, and when all was said and done, at least ten people spoke about their union.

Mike didn't want a traditional wedding cake, so he opted for miniature cheesecakes of different varieties. He liked to do things different, but we all knew he was just trying to save himself from getting cake smashed in his face. That plan didn't work, however, and Laurent managed to sneak up behind him and get cheesecake all over Mike's face as well as his hair. The theatrics started all over again after this, but ended fairly quickly. Everyone was too happy – Mike included – to cry over smeared cheesecake.

The yacht docked once after dinner, so guests with children could clear out if they desired. Esme took Masen and Joey with her, leaving Edward and I to enjoy another rare childless evening. As much as I loved the way my husband looked, all dapper and devilish and sexy in his tux, I couldn't wait to get him home and out of it later.

The dance floor had starting to empty, but we stayed in place, swaying to the sounds of Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight." It was nearly midnight, and our time on the boat would be up soon.

"Can I cut in?" I looked up and saw Mike's sparkling blue eyes gazing down on me. Edward unwound my arms from behind his head and took a few steps back.

"Only if there's no funny business," he growled jokingly.

Mike put his hands in the air and feigned innocence. "Funny business? Me? You must have the wrong person in mind."

I laughed as my husband put an arm around Mike's shoulder, giving him a half-hug. "I've known you too long to even think you're the innocent kind," he whispered loud enough for me to hear. Mike just shook his head and held his hand out. I grabbed it with mine and he pulled me close to him.

We danced in silence for a few minutes before Mike whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything." He pulled back just enough for our eyes to meet. "Dealing with my crazy ass all of these years. Putting up with my theatrics. Not choosing to hate me when you very easily could have on more than one occasion."

I giggled. "I could never hate you, Newton. You provide me with far too much free entertainment."

"Well, it's nice to know I serve a purpose," he chuckled. His expression grew serious and he stopped moving. "Really though, thank you, Bell. You're the best friend I've ever had. I need you to know that."

Tears brimmed my eyes. "You're welcome. This city isn't the same without you in it."

"Well, with all due respect to California and its residents, LA is nothing compared to this city." With that, we resumed our dancing.

I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, following his lead and letting my body move easily to the music. I couldn't believe it had been nearly twenty years since the two of us first met. We were young back then, new to Manhattan and wanting so badly to fit in and find our place in the crazy, fast-paced world.

Now we were older and wiser thanks to all of the things life had thrown at us. We'd learned a lot over the years. We'd stopped trying to fit in and started embracing who we were. We'd given up on looking for our place and had instead created places for ourselves. We'd learned to trust, learned to love, and learned that no matter what happened, with a little help from each other we could always get by and keep going.

One thing we hadn't done was given up on – or stopped loving – one another.

And I knew we never would.

**-=-HC-=-**

_One week later…_

"Onion or egg?"

"Onion."

"Seriously, Bella? Do you want your breath to reek for the rest of the day?"

"I don't really care, Rose. It's not like I'll be out trying to impress anyone." I grabbed the onion bagel and pulled it in half, dipping my plastic knife into the tub of cream cheese that sat between us. Alice leaned forward and looked over at us, rolling her eyes.

"You two are something else, you know that?"

I took a big bite of my breakfast, chasing it with a swig of the latte Alice had brought me. "I have two kids and a home to maintain. Stinky onion breath is the least of my worries."

"Hey, if I recall correctly, you had stinky onion breath the first day you met Edward at the office," Alice remembered. I blushed at the memory. I was so angry that day; with Alice for agreeing to have me represent him without asking first, and with myself for being attracted to him despite his atrocious behavior.

_You were a goner from day one, Bella._

"That's right!" Rose exclaimed. She tipped her head back and let out a loud laugh. "Do you remember how angry you were when you called and asked me to go to lunch?"

"Oh, I was more than angry. I wanted to corner Alice in her office and tear all of her hair out," I said, laughing. Alice winked and patted my knee.

"Not so angry about that anymore, are you?" she teased.

"Not angry at all," I answered. "In fact, your careless-at-the-time actions led to the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I beg to differ," Rose said, stuffing a chunk of egg bagel in her mouth and chewing thoughtfully.

"Meeting the two of you was just as important," I said, rolling my eyes. Rose held a hand up and shook her head as she finished chewing.

"I'm not talking about me and Alice," she said, surprising me. She pointed toward the playgroup and smiled. "I'm talking about those two heathens."

Alice pressed the back of her hand against Rose's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" she joked. Rose swatted her away and looked back and forth between the two of us.

"I'm serious. I love Emmett, I love being married to him, and I love where the last ten years has taken us, but David … he's my lifeblood. He is the best thing to come out of all this."

I squeezed Rose's arm and rested my head on her shoulder, looking out at the scene in front of us. The playground was packed today, with moms and dads milling around, some in groups and others there alone. We were camped out on our usual bench, as we had been most Sunday mornings following the birth of Alice's twins.

Sunday brunch and other outings were easier to do when Rose was the only mom in our trio. Things became a bit more complicated when we all had little ones to tote around, and as a result we'd traded in Sundays at Sarabeths for Sundays at the playground. Each week was the same; Alice brought the coffee, Rose brought the bagels, and I brought juice boxes for the kids. Our routine worked well. It gave our husbands some alone time, it gave the kids a chance to release their energy, and it gave us a chance to catch up and relax for a few hours.

"Do you ever wonder where we'd be if we hadn't gone to the Guggenheim event that night?" Alice asked.

"I've thought about it," I admitted. "Not because I want a different life or something. I wouldn't trade what I have now for anything. But, curiosity gets the best of me at times. I'd like to think our paths still would have crossed with the guys."

"Oh, I would have found Emmett one way or another." Rose wiggled her eyebrows. "I had such a crush on him. I was determined to sleep with him, at least. I got a bit more than I bargained for in that deal."

"I think Alice and I were in a perpetual state of shock for the first year you two were together," I told Rose. "What started as an innocent romp turned into this whirlwind romance, complete with a baby."

"Yeah, right," Rose snorted. "Alice was too busy riding on cloud nine with Jasper while you and Edward danced around each other like teenagers. "

"I'm still riding on cloud nine," Alice said dreamily. I looked at Rose and we both laughed.

"Auntie Alice!" We looked up to see Masen standing on the jungle gym. A mischievous grin covered his face. "Look what Unca Mike showed me!" He stepped forward until the tips of his shoes were flush with the edge of the play equipment. I started to stand, but Rose reached her arm out and stopped me.

"Trust, Bells," she whispered. I glanced at her and then back at my son.

"One," Masen yelled.

Alice pulled out her phone and got her camera poised.

"Two!"

Rose uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and watching my son intently.

"Thwee!" I sucked in a sharp breath as Masen leaned forward, wrapping his arms and then his legs around the playground pole. He twirled down it fast, tipping over and landing on his butt when he reached the bottom. He stood and brushed his shorts off before running toward us. He was all shiny green eyes and giggles when he jumped on my lap and flung his arms around my neck.

"That was great!" I said, ruffling his hair and kissing his cheek. Joey came running after him, latching on to my legs and giving my knee a kiss.

I looked over at my friends and smiled.

Rose was right.

The men in our life were great. They were more than great – they were amazing.

But the kids? They were our lifeblood.

And right then, with my lifeblood looking at me, lopsided grin on his face, excitement on hers, I knew three things:

I had never been so happy.

I had never felt so at ease.

And I had never felt so very, very lucky.


End file.
